What is Identity Attack Surface Management?
Identity Attack Surface Management (IASM) is an emerging cybersecurity discipline focused on identifying, monitoring, and mitigating risks associated with an organizationโs identity infrastructure. As the modern enterprise shifts to cloud-first, identity has become the new security perimeterโbut with that shift comes an expanding attack surface that traditional security tools struggle to protect.
IAM (Identity and Access Management) and PAM (Privileged Access Management) solutions help govern and secure identities, but they were not designed to provide real-time monitoring of identity risks across an organizationโs entire digital footprint. IASM fills this gap by continuously assessing all identitiesโboth human and non-humanโincluding their access, privileges, and potential exposure to threats. IASM is part of a comprehensive defense-in-depth strategy for identity security.
Why IASM is Critical to Identity-First Security
The identity attack surface has grown exponentially in recent years, driven by factors like SaaS adoption, remote work, and the proliferation of machine identities. Every account, credential, and permission adds to an organization’s exposure, increasing the risk of:
- Compromised Credentials: Stolen or weak credentials remain a top attack vector for cybercriminals.
- Privilege Creep: Users and service accounts accumulate excessive permissions over time, creating opportunities for lateral movement.
- Shadow IT & Unmanaged Accounts: Employees adopting SaaS tools without IT oversight results in orphaned or unsanctioned accounts that evade security controls.
- SSO Bypass & MFA Gaps: Not all applications enforce SSO or MFA, leaving identity blind spots that attackers can exploit.
IASM provides visibility into these risks by continuously scanning and analyzing an organizationโs identity footprint. It helps security teams detect misconfigurations, enforce least privilege access, and mitigate identity threats before they can be exploited.
How IASM Works
IASM solutions operate by discovering, analyzing, and securing identities across an organization’s cloud and hybrid environments. Core capabilities include:
- Comprehensive Identity Discovery โ Identifies every user, admin, service account, and API key across SaaS, cloud, and hybrid environments.
- Risk-Based Identity Assessment โ Evaluates identities based on exposure, privilege level, and potential attack paths.
- Detection of Shadow IT & Orphaned Accounts โ Uncovers unmanaged or abandoned accounts that increase risk.
- Privileged Access & Entitlement Monitoring โ Flags excessive permissions, toxic combinations of access, and privilege escalations.
- Continuous Monitoring & Automated Remediation โ Tracks identity risks in real time and enforces security policies to close attack vectors.
IASM vs. Traditional Identity Security Tools
While IAM and PAM solutions focus on access control and governance, IASM takes a proactive security approach by mapping the full identity attack surface and identifying vulnerabilities before attackers do. Unlike CASBs, which primarily address access to cloud applications, IASM provides deep visibility into identity hygiene, credential misuse, and risky entitlements across an organizationโs entire ecosystem.
FAQ: Identity Attack Surface Management (IASM)
What is the main purpose of IASM?
IASM helps organizations identify and reduce identity-related security risks by continuously monitoring identities, entitlements, and authentication gaps that could be exploited by attackers.
How does IASM differ from IAM or PAM?
IAM governs user identities and their access, while PAM secures privileged accounts. IASM, on the other hand, provides a security-first approach by detecting and mitigating identity threats across the entire digital identity ecosystem.
Why is IASM important for organizations with SaaS-heavy environments?
SaaS applications often lead to shadow IT, abandoned accounts, and SSO bypass risks. IASM helps organizations regain visibility and control over their expanding identity footprint.
Does IASM only apply to human users?
No. IASM is especially critical for securing non-human identities, such as service accounts, APIs, and machine identities, which are often overlooked yet hold high levels of privilege.
How does IASM help prevent identity breaches?
IASM detects misconfigurations, credential exposures, and over-privileged accounts before attackers can exploit them, enabling security teams to proactively mitigate identity threats.
