In a time when users, infrastructure and applications were mostly confined within well-defined borders, that assumption made sense but in today’s world, that environment no longer exists.
The proliferation of cloud computing, SaaS usage, hybrid work practices, microservices and API-driven connections have fundamentally transformed the structure of enterprise IT. Critical systems are now located outside conventional data centers and employees now authenticate outside trusted networks in BYOD scenarios. Vendors also integrate directly into internal systems, which means that identity is the most important control plane in modern settings.
Modern threat actors are no longer primarily burrowing through hidden technical flaws or circumventing perimeter measures in dramatic fashion; those were the old days. In recent times, they log in with stolen credentials, replayed session tokens or misused access grants. The ensuing breach may resemble legitimate user behavior because, from a system perspective, that is exactly what it is – “a legitimate user trying to sign in to carry out legitimate activities“.
This modern reality necessitates a rethinking of how cybersecurity leaders perceive risk.
