Identity at the helm: Why cyber resilience starts with modern identity security

Imagine you're the captain of a massive ship. On calm seas, your vessel feels invincible. Yet lurking beneath the surface are hidden currents, submerged hazards, and sudden unexpected storms. You can't stop the waves—but you can design a ship resilient enough to withstand anything the ocean delivers.

Cyber risk is no different. Threats are inevitable—but the real measure of security is in how well you anticipate, minimize, and neutralize risks before they can materialize in the first place.

In SailPoint’s Horizons of Identity Security Report 2024–25, the message is clear: identity security is the keystone of cyber resilience. Organizations that prioritize identity maturity significantly reduce risk exposure—and those that don't are sailing blind.

Rising risk: More identities, greater exposure

The digital attack surface is expanding faster than ever. The reality is that identity-driven attacks—credential theft, insider misuse, third-party vulnerabilities, and overprovisioned access—are now the most common pathways to breach.

Key findings from the report and infographic show:

• Machine identities now often outnumber human users 10 to 1​.
• 30%+ growth in machine identities is expected within the next 3–5 years​.
• 72% of companies surveyed admit to intentionally retaining dormant machine identities, creating security risks​.

Meanwhile, uncontrolled access—especially across third parties and machine identities—remains a critical issue. Unmanaged identities are cybercriminals’ easiest point of entry.

The consequences of stagnation

Despite awareness, many organizations are stuck:

• 41% remain at Horizon 1—the lowest maturity level​.
• Organizations in lower maturity stages (Horizons 1–2) manage identity processes manually, leading to inefficiencies, increased risks, blind spots, and increased audit failures​. 

The results are tangible:

• 60% of companies have experienced audit issues stemming from poor machine identity management​.
• 77% of companies have seen a 14% rise in cyber insurance premiums over the last 3 years​.

Inaction comes at a growing operational and financial cost. 

Identity security as a business enabler

Organizations that invest strategically in identity security bend the cybersecurity value curve—delivering outsized risk reduction, business value, and resilience.

SailPoint’s research shows that in the areas of risk-reduction, high-maturity organizations:

• 83% reported fewer identity-related security incidents after investing in identity programs
• Experience 40% faster detection and response to attacks thanks to AI-driven identity intelligence​
• Reduce cyber insurance costs by demonstrating stronger security postures​

Real-world proof points:

• A leading retailer reduced cyber risk by 3X simply by setting appropriate privileges for ~6,000 accounts​.
• Another organization automated 144,000 account modifications, dramatically reducing security threats​.
• Companies have saved over $3M by preventing ransomware payments through robust identity security​.

The blueprint: Turning awareness into action

As cyber threats and regulatory demands intensify, committed investment in identity security is no longer optional—it’s a strategic imperative. Next steps for C-level leaders include:

1. Invest in identity security solutions, especially AI-enabled solutions, that will enable you to advance identity maturity better positioning you to mitigate cyber risk.
2. Consider a holistic approach to secure all types of identities within the organization i.e. employees, third parties, and non-human or machine identities.
3. Integrate IAM with broader security operations to enable continuous monitoring, accelerate incident response, and control cyber insurance premiums.
4. Leverage identity data to derive actionable insights, improve access decisions, and create adaptive security policies.

Mature organizations are not just protecting data—they’re enabling faster innovation, building trust with customers and partners, and improving operational efficiencies.

Charting your course to resilience

The path forward is clear: investing in identity security maturity today strengthens your resilience for tomorrow. It’s time to move beyond manual processes, close the governance gaps, and harness the full power of AI and automation with a modern identity security approach.

Get a clear snapshot of today’s cyber risk landscape—and how leading organizations are staying ahead.

Download the exclusive infographic: Staying Ahead of Cyber Risks.

See how strategic identity investments reduce risk, boost resilience, and drive real business value.