Identity at the Center

Identity at the Center

Identity at the Center is a weekly podcast all about identity security in the context of identity and access management (IAM). With decades of real-world IAM experience, hosts Jim McDonald and Jeff Steadman bring you conversations with news, topics, and guests from the identity management industry. Do you know who has access to what?

  1. 1D AGO

    #404 - Sponsor Spotlight - Bravura Security

    This episode is sponsored by Bravura Security. Learn more at bravurasecurity.com/idac. This is a Sponsor Spotlight episode of the Identity at the Center podcast. Jim McDonald and Jeff Steadman are joined by Bart Allan, General Manager at Bravura Security, to discuss why enterprise password management remains a critical piece of identity security even as organizations pursue passwordless strategies. Bart shares Bravura's history dating back to 1992, starting with self-service password reset and evolving into a full identity security platform spanning identity management, privileged access management, and enterprise password management. The conversation digs into the uncomfortable truth that while organizations may get 80% of their applications onto modern authentication, the remaining 20% still rely on passwords, creating real security risk. Bart explains how treating enterprise passwords the way organizations treat privileged credentials, with automated rotation and centralized management, can remove the human element from password creation and reduce exposure to breaches and social engineering. The group also discusses help desk social engineering attacks, breach recovery challenges, deployment strategies for rolling out an enterprise password manager, and the emerging role of password managers as passkey managers for portability. The episode wraps with some outdoor adventure stories from Bart and Jim. Connect with Bart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartholomewallan/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/ Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/ Visit the show on the web at idacpodcast.com TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Introduction and welcome01:00 - Sponsor Spotlight overview and Bravura Security introduction01:52 - Bart Allan's background in identity03:30 - History of Bravura Security from 1992 to today05:39 - How the Bravura name came to be07:00 - What makes Bravura unique in the identity market08:33 - Why password management still matters09:58 - The uncomfortable truth about passwords and the 80/20 problem13:00 - Personal vs enterprise password managers16:00 - The last mile to passwordless and legacy systems19:00 - Why storing passwords is not enough without active management22:00 - Help desk social engineering and the human element25:00 - Breach response and the fog of war31:00 - Scattered spider scenarios and credential reset at scale35:00 - Is a password manager the only viable option for the final 20%?38:00 - The future of password managers as passkey managers40:00 - Tips for deploying an enterprise password manager42:45 - Measuring success with an enterprise password manager45:17 - Lighter side of the conversation begins46:00 - Bart's backcountry skiing avalanche story from Rogers Pass50:30 - Jim's lightning storm story from backpacking in Yosemite52:53 - Final thoughts from Bart on the passwordless journey54:00 - Wrap up and outro KEYWORDSIDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Bravura Security, Bart Allan, password management, enterprise password manager, passwordless, passkeys, privileged access management, identity security, help desk social engineering, breach recovery, credential rotation, self-service password reset, identity verification, IAM operations, shadow IT, FIDO, sponsor spotlight, password vault, legacy systems

    55 min
  2. 3D AGO

    #403 - Strategic Identity Security with Simon Moffatt

    Simon Moffatt, founder and analyst at The Cyber Hut and co-host of The Analyst Brief podcast, returns to Identity at the Center for a wide-ranging conversation about the strategic evolution of identity security. Simon shares an update on his second book, IAM at 2035, which explores where identity is heading over the next decade. The discussion covers why identity has shifted from a back office function to a strategic business enabler, driven by the convergence of cloud, zero trust, and expanding digital ecosystems.Jim and Jeff dig into how organizations can measure their identity security posture, and Simon introduces his Identity Security Scorecard, a framework of 50-plus data points covering visibility, protection, detection, and response. The conversation shifts to the identity attack lifecycle, where Simon explains why organizations need to move beyond log-based forensics and toward real-time detection and response before attacks complete.The group also explores how non-identity data signals, like CAEP and shared signals frameworks, are critical to building a fuller picture of risk. The final segment tackles agentic AI and its implications for identity, including the argument that agentic identities may represent a third identity type distinct from both human and machine. Simon makes the case that AI adoption is outpacing identity and security innovation, creating a widening gap that the industry must address through governance, accountability, and new architectural patterns. Connect with Simon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonmoffatt/ The Analyst Brief Podcast: https://www.thecyberhut.com/podcast/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/ Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/ Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com Timestamps00:00 Introduction and conference discount codes02:29 Simon Moffatt returns to the show03:58 Update on the IAM at 2035 book07:25 The Analyst Brief podcast and covering identity trends08:44 Identity shifts from back office to strategic priority11:47 The compliance trap and reactionary identity management14:25 Customer identity transparency influencing workforce identity16:52 Defining identity security across 80-plus vendors20:11 Products alone do not solve identity security21:14 Thinking like an attacker about identity flows23:23 Red flags in an organization's identity posture25:43 The identity security scorecard and measuring risk29:27 Avoiding FUD when presenting identity risk to the board32:34 The identity attack lifecycle explained36:53 Building the mindset for real-time detection and response37:41 CAEP, shared signals, and non-identity data sources40:10 Identity as a 24/7 security operations function43:24 Agentic AI drops like a nuclear explosion on identity46:49 The widening gap between AI adoption and identity security47:51 Is agentic identity a third identity type?50:47 What needs to change to address the agentic identity explosion53:24 Will AI shake the core of enterprise IT?57:24 AI may be the only thing that can secure AI58:04 Travel tips for EIC Berlin and European conferences01:02:45 Wrapping up Keywordsidentity security, identity attack lifecycle, identity attack paths, agentic AI, agentic identity, non-human identity, NHI, identity security scorecard, zero trust, CAEP, shared signals framework, identity governance, identity strategy, IAM, identity posture, Simon Moffatt, The Cyber Hut, The Analyst Brief, IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald

    1h 4m
  3. FEB 16

    #402 - An Update on SSF and CAEP with Atul Tulshibagwale

    In this episode of Identity at the Center, hosts Jeff and Jim dive into the details of the Shared Signals Framework (SSF) and Continuous Access Evaluation Profile (CAEP), with special guest Atul Tulshibagwale, the CTO of Signal. The trio discusses the complexities and applications of these identity security standards, recent adoption by major tech companies, and how they are transforming the approach towards identity and access management. Atul also shares exciting news about Signal's impending acquisition by CrowdStrike and reflects on a recent safari trip in Kenya. Tune in to learn about the evolution of identity security and the future of SSF and CAEP. Connect with Atul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tulshi/ Learn more about the Artificial Intelligence Identity Management Community Group: https://openid.net/cg/artificial-intelligence-identity-management-community-group/ Learn more about SSF and CAEP: https://openid.net/how-authzen-and-shared-signals-caep-complement-each-other/https://sgnl.ai/whitepaper/caep-best-practices/https://caep.dev/https://youtu.be/qakOw0g2mZ8?si=p8z9imn7x-HhLdcVhttps://www.youtube.com/live/e64YiAmGmf4?si=QPKDg2Jm9oSZmbhZhttp://sharedsignals.guide/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/ Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/ Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Episode Milestone 00:17 Challenges with Installing Molt Bot 02:32 MoltBook and AI Agents 03:21 Jim's Perspective on AI Assistants 09:24 Conferences and Networking 10:10 Introduction to Shared Signals and CAEP 13:03 CrowdStrike Acquisition of Signal 14:03 AI Identity Management Community 16:59 Shared Signals Framework and CAEP Explained 30:03 Final Version of CAEP and Shared Signals Released 30:35 Adoption by Major Technology Providers 32:49 Benefits of Implementing Shared Signals 36:32 Future of SSF and CAEP 40:51 Certification Program for Shared Signals 52:48 Real-World Safari Adventure 01:00:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Keywords: IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Atul Tulshibagwale, Shared Signals Framework, SSF, CAEP, Continuous Access Evaluation Profile, OpenID Foundation, CrowdStrike, SGNL AI Identity, Agentic Identity, AuthZEN, Risk, Identity Security, IAM, Podcast

    1h 2m
  4. FEB 11

    #401 - Sponsor Spotlight - PlainID

    This episode is sponsored by PlainID. Visit plainid.com/idac to learn more. In this sponsored episode, Jim McDonald and Jeff Steadman talk with Gal Helemski, CTO and co-founder of PlainID, about the evolving landscape of authorization. The conversation covers the transition from traditional roles and attributes to a modern policy-based access control (PBAC) approach. Gal explains how PlainID helps organizations centralize authorization logic, improve security posture, and simplify the management of access across complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments. The discussion also touches on the importance of visibility into who has access to what and the role of standards like Cedar and Rego in the future of authorization. Connect with Gal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gal-helemski-b9542231/Learn more about PlainID: plainid.com/idac Connect with us on LinkedIn: Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/ Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/ Visit the show on the web at idacpodcast.com Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Sponsor Spotlight 02:15 Meet Gal Helemski from PlainID 05:30 The shift from RBAC to PBAC 10:45 Challenges with traditional authorization methods 15:20 How PlainID centralizes authorization logic 22:10 Integrating with existing identity providers 28:45 The role of visibility and auditing in authorization 35:30 Discussion on authorization standards: Cedar and Rego 42:15 Future trends in identity and access management 50:00 Final thoughts and where to learn more Keywords: IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, PlainID, Authorization, Policy-Based Access Control, PBAC, RBAC, Cybersecurity, IAM, Access Management, Gal Helemski, Identity Security

    52 min
  5. FEB 9

    #400 - Celebrating 400 episodes of IDAC

    In this milestone episode of Identity at the Center, Jeff and Jim celebrate 400 episodes and reflect on their journey over the past six and a half years. They discuss the podcast’s evolution, from its early days focusing on strategy and framework to recent themes like cloud identity, governance, and AI-driven technologies. Jim shares his New Year's resolution of writing a book about identity, blending practitioner stories with educational elements, and utilizing AI tools. The duo also highlights significant trends in identity and access management, including frictionless authentication and privilege access management. They look forward to the future of identity within an AI-driven landscape, urging listeners to adapt to technological advancements. Tune in for insights, reflections, and their plans for continuing to grow the podcast. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/ Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/ Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and Milestone Celebration00:44 Reflecting on the Podcast Journey01:27 Jim's New Year's Resolution: Writing a Book05:16 Using AI in the Writing Process09:34 Podcast Growth and Listener Support13:08 Remembering Luis Almeida16:59 Conference Highlights and Discount Codes19:05 Lessons Learned from Podcasting29:01 The Evolution of the Podcast36:01 Pandemic Disruptions and Podcast Challenges36:30 Funny Moments and Swearing on the Show37:24 Identity Management Trends in 202039:20 Cloud Identity and Certifications in 202141:54 Governance and Compliance in 202244:23 Security Convergence and Milestones in 202351:07 Privilege Access Management in 202455:15 Frictionless Authentication in 202558:20 AI and the Future of Identity in 202601:09:00 Reflections and Gratitude Keywords: IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, IAM, podcast, cybersecurity, digital identity, AI, agentic identity, PAM, IGA, cloud security, passkeys, professional development, IDPro, identity governance

    1h 12m
  6. FEB 5

    #399 - Navigating Identity Security in the Age of AI with Jeff Margolies

    Jim McDonald is joined by Jeff Margolies, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Saviynt, to discuss the intersection of artificial intelligence and identity security. Jeff shares his decades of experience in the industry, from building the IAM practice at Accenture to his current leadership role at Saviynt. The conversation covers how AI is making manually intensive identity tasks more efficient, the emergence of Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM), and the critical need to govern identities for AI agents. Jeff also provides his perspective on the future of the identity practitioner and why he remains an optimist in a rapidly changing technological landscape. Connect with Jeff Margolies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmargolies/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/ Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/ Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Gartner Identity Conference Recap 00:02:11 - Jeff Margolies' Career Journey in Identity and Security 00:04:36 - Returning to Identity and Joining Saviynt 00:06:13 - How AI is Impacting Identity Security and Governance 00:09:56 - The Future of Identity Services in an AI World 00:13:58 - Will AI Disrupt the SaaS Model for Identity? 00:19:50 - The Impact of AI on the Identity Practitioner Job Market 00:26:16 - Identity for AI: Governing Agents and Delegated Authority 00:32:00 - Combating Deepfakes and Proving What is Real 00:34:40 - The Rise of Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM) 00:41:46 - Comparing Posture Management and ITDR 00:44:17 - Advice for CISOs: Why Posture Should Come First 00:49:35 - The Secret to Saviynt's Success and Future Outlook 00:52:19 - Lighter Note: Why Jeff Chose a Tesla for His Daughter Keywords: IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Jeff Margolies, Saviynt, IAM, Identity and Access Management, AI, Artificial Intelligence, ISPM, ITDR, Cybersecurity, Identity Governance, SaaS, IGA

    57 min
  7. FEB 2

    #398 - Solving the AI Identity Challenge with Martin Kuppinger

    In this episode, Jim McDonald welcomes back Martin Kuppinger, Principal Analyst at KuppingerCole, to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of identity in 2026. With Jeff Steadman away, Jim and Martin dive deep into the intellectual challenges posed by AI agents and the limitations of traditional non-human identity frameworks. Martin explains why organizations are feeling a sense of disillusionment with AI and how a capability-based identity fabric approach can help manage the complexity. They also explore the balance between security and business enablement, the rise of workload identities, and what to expect at the upcoming European Identity and Cloud Conference (EIC) in Berlin. Connect with Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkuppinger/ KuppingerCole: https://www.kuppingercole.com European Identity and Cloud Conference (EIC) (don’t forget to use our discount code idac25mko): https://www.kuppingercole.com/events/eic2026 Connect with us on LinkedIn: Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/ Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/ Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome back to 2026 and EIC preparations 02:48 - The shift from future potential to current AI agent challenges 03:12 - Understanding AI disillusionment and the lack of control in regulated industries 05:19 - Security as a business enabler vs progress prevention 09:55 - Why AI agents should not be classified simply as non-human identities 11:43 - Complex relationships between humans, agents, and delegated tasks 15:17 - Self-service identity for knowledge workers and AI productivity 18:40 - The risks of decentralized agent creation and "shadow" AI 21:58 - How AI is being baked into identity products beyond role mining 26:55 - Using usage data to reduce over-entitlements 34:10 - The Identity Fabric: A capability-based approach to IAM 40:33 - Vendor rationalization and the flexibility of the fabric 47:19 - Previewing EIC 2026 topics: Wallet initiatives and consent 52:44 - Final advice: Curing symptoms vs addressing causes Keywords: IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Martin Kuppinger, KuppingerCole, IAM, AI Agents, Identity Fabric, EIC 2026, Non-Human Identity, Workload Identity, ITDR, IGA, Cybersecurity

    56 min
  8. JAN 26

    #397 - RSM & IDAC Present - The Intersection of Resiliency, Recovery, and IAM

    Jeff Steadman is joined by RSM colleagues Rich Servillas and Charles John to explore the critical intersection of identity access management, operational resilience, and disaster recovery. Rich, a director from the cyber response group, shares insights from the front lines of ransomware and cloud intrusions, while Chuck, director of operational resilience, discusses the importance of business continuity planning. The conversation covers the true impact of security incidents on brand reputation and operations, the necessity of out-of-band communication, and why identity is often the first thing challenged and the last thing trusted during a crisis. The guests also provide practical advice for IAM professionals on reducing blast radius through standing privilege reduction and robust logging. Connect with Rich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-servillas-041a0551/ Connect with Chuck: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjohn/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/ Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/ Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Introduction and 2026 conference outlook 00:01:44 - Introducing guests Rich and Chuck from RSM 00:03:56 - Defining operational resilience and business continuity 00:06:22 - When and how to start the planning process 00:09:55 - Chuck's background in public health and emergency management 00:12:44 - The broad impact of incidents on brand and operations 00:16:45 - Key elements every recovery plan must include 00:19:14 - Defining incident severity and matrixes 00:21:52 - Identity as the new perimeter and its operational dependencies 00:24:57 - Why hackers log in rather than break in 00:26:46 - The first hours of a cyber incident response 00:29:35 - Current threat trends and the role of AI 00:31:29 - Updating plans through post-action debriefs 00:34:31 - Cyber insurance gaps and contractual SLAs 00:40:24 - Advice for identity professionals on reducing blast radius 00:46:10 - Personal milestones and looking forward to 2026 Keywords: IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, IAM, Cybersecurity, Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Operational Resilience, RSM, Incident Response, Ransomware, Cyber Insurance, Identity Governance

    50 min

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About

Identity at the Center is a weekly podcast all about identity security in the context of identity and access management (IAM). With decades of real-world IAM experience, hosts Jim McDonald and Jeff Steadman bring you conversations with news, topics, and guests from the identity management industry. Do you know who has access to what?