The hidden risk in automation: Why Machine Identity Security is essential

By Parminder Kocher and Hari Patel

In business, automation is ubiquitous. Machines, bots, and APIs are working behind the scenes—connecting applications, processing data, and driving efficiency at a scale no human workforce could match. But there’s a problem: these machine identities often go unmanaged, creating security gaps that organizations don’t even realize exist.

Identity security programs are built to protect human access, but can they truly be effective if they ignore machines? The answer is simple: no.

What are machine identities?

Machine identities function as digital credentials, authenticating non-human entities and enabling secure machine-to-machine communication. They come in various forms, including:

• Service accounts – used by applications to access databases or cloud services.
• API keys & OAuth tokens – provide temporary access to external services.
• RPA & bot accounts – automate business workflows across systems.
• Cloud IAM roles – allow cloud-based workloads to access resources.

Despite their importance, machine identities often remain unmanaged, lingering long after their original purpose and creating security vulnerabilities.

Read more about the definition of machine identities.

Why are machine identities so hard to manage?

Organizations struggle to manage machine identities due to:

• Lack of visibility – machine accounts exist in silos, making discovery difficult.
• No ownership tracking – unlike human identities, machine identities lack clear accountability.
• Set-and-forget behavior – credentials persist indefinitely, increasing security risks.
• Credential sprawl – API keys, tokens, and passwords multiply, making security enforcement inconsistent.
• Compliance challenges – unmanaged machine accounts create audit gaps and potential regulatory violations.

Read more about the history of machine identities and their challenges.

The growing security threat

Attackers know that machine identities are often left unsecured. Compromised service accounts or API keys provide an easy path for lateral movement, data exfiltration, or system-wide compromise. Without governance, these accounts become unmonitored backdoors, exposing organizations to breaches.

How SailPoint Machine Identity Security (MIS) solves these challenges

SailPoint Machine Identity Security extends identity governance to non-human entities, bringing visibility and control to service accounts, bots, and automation tools. Key capabilities include:

✅ Centralized machine identity management – manage all machine accounts from a single platform.
✅ AI-driven discovery & classification – identify and track machine identities across the organization.
✅ Ownership & accountability – correlate machine identities with business owners.
✅ Automated lifecycle management – ensure proper provisioning, usage, and decommissioning of machine accounts.
✅ Continuous compliance & certification – run audits and enforce security policies on machine identities.

The bottom line

Machines are the silent drivers of digital transformation, but without governance they create silent security risks. The explosion of automation demands a new approach—one where machine identities receive the same level of security and oversight as human identities.

SailPoint Machine Identity Security makes this possible, helping organizations secure their automation landscape while maintaining compliance and operational excellence. In an era where machines outnumber humans, securing machine identities isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Ready to take control of your machine identities? Learn more about Machine Identity Security.