In today's digital-first world, the way we manage identities has never been more critical. As hybrid workforces expand and regulations tighten, organizations are increasingly looking to modernize their Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) systems—not just to stay compliant, but to stay secure and agile.
Recently, I had an interview with a seasoned identity expert from a global retail manufacturing giant who joined the conversation to unpack the evolution of IGA, share real-world challenges, and explore where the industry is heading next.
Here are the top takeaways from that insightful discussion.
What Is IGA and Why Does It Matter Today?
Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) isn't new. Traditionally, it’s been focused on provisioning access, handling joiners/movers/leavers, and enforcing separation of duties. Where Identity and Access Management (IAM) covers the broader picture of who has access to what, IGA zeroes in on how that access is granted, monitored, and revoked.
Historically, IGA was reserved for large enterprises with deep pockets. But events like the Enron scandal pushed IGA into the spotlight, making it essential for compliance and corporate accountability. Today, identity governance must support not only employees but also dynamic workforces, contractors, and even non-human identities across sprawling digital ecosystems.
Where Traditional IGA Falls Short
Despite its benefits, legacy IGA systems often struggle with real-world complexity:
- Fragmented Stakeholders: HR, IT, security, and compliance teams all rely on IGA, but often have conflicting priorities.
- Slow Deprovisioning: Many organizations excel at onboarding new users but lag at removing access when roles change or users leave.
- Inconsistent Ownership: IGA often floats between departments—sometimes under the CSO, other times under GRC or IT—making it difficult to drive a cohesive strategy.
- Signal-to-Noise Overload: As IGA systems evolve toward Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR), the challenge becomes separating meaningful signals from massive volumes of data.
How IGA Is Modernizing
The good news? IGA is undergoing a major transformation.
1. Cloud-First, Agile Architectures
Cloud-native IGA platforms have matured significantly. Ten years ago, they were lightweight and limited. Today, they often outpace their on-prem counterparts in speed, features, and ease of adoption. Organizations can now test features in private previews and toggle capabilities with the flip of a switch—an impossible feat in traditional setups.
2. Security-First Integration
Modern IGA is becoming more intertwined with ITDR and threat prevention. This includes signals from endpoint detection, phishing-resistant MFA such as passkeys and hardware tokens, and behavioral analytics. However, challenges persist—especially in stitching together data from different vendors without standardized orchestration tools.
3. Adaptive, Fine-Grained Access Controls
The move from static policies to adaptive, context-aware permissions is a game-changer. Attribute- and policy-based access controls (ABAC/PBAC) enable organizations to grant just-in-time, least-privilege access that adapts to changing conditions. Think: access that aligns with peer groups, behavior norms, or real-time risk scores.
4. AI-Powered Efficiency
AI is taking center stage in automating onboarding, role modeling, and access certification. Rather than relying on exhaustive manual interviews to determine who needs what, AI can analyze historical data and suggest policies based on similar roles or behaviors, freeing up valuable analyst time and reducing risk.
What’s Next: From People to Bots
The identity leader from the retail manufacturing company shared a clear vision of what's ahead:
- Expanding Beyond Employees: Extending IGA to cover business partners and vendors, not just full-time staff.
- Managing Non-Human Identities (NHIs): From service accounts to AI agents, organizations must bring these entities under governance.
- Combatting Shadow IT/AI: Just like shadow IT introduced risks a decade ago, unsanctioned AI tools are the next blind spot. IGA must adapt.
- Orchestration of ITDR: As identity signals become more diverse, orchestration platforms that unify those signals will become critical.
Community + Collaboration = Better Security
One of the best ways to keep up with this rapidly evolving landscape? Community.
From industry conferences like Gartner IAM and EIC to informal meetups like Identity Beers, connecting with peers helps professionals learn what’s working, what’s not, and where innovation is headed. Our guest emphasized that even a single conversation can replace weeks of research or pilot testing.
Final Thoughts
IGA is no longer a "nice-to-have" compliance tool. It’s a strategic enabler of security, productivity, and digital agility. The organizations that embrace modern, flexible, and AI-driven identity governance are best positioned to thrive in today’s dynamic threat landscape.
Whether you're just starting your IGA journey or looking to modernize an existing program, the time to act is now.
