Identity has never been more important to securing the modern world. No two organizations are the same, and each faces unique security challenges.

Addressing Identity debt has become critical to maintaining operational integrity. Organizations implementing a Zero Trust architecture enforce strict access controls and logging mechanisms, which can generate significant amounts of security data. If these logs aren’t properly managed or analyzed, gaps can form, adding layers of complexity and potential risk to their Identity infrastructure — and leading to increased security debt.

Through rigorous internal evaluations and improved Identity management practices at Okta, we’ve strengthened our defenses and reaffirmed our commitment to staying ahead of evolving threats with the Okta Secure Identity Commitment. As part of delivering value with this long-term initiative, we’re extending this proactive approach to you through the Secure Identity Assessment — a professional services offering designed to help reduce your Identity debt and improve your overall security posture.

The Identity debt challenge

Identity debt — like technical debt — can accumulate when misconfigured permissions, orphaned accounts, and inconsistent security policies go unchecked. These gaps only increase the risk of breaches and complicate compliance efforts. They also add unnecessary operational overhead. According to IBM, misconfigurations were the third most common attack vector in 2023.

Okta’s Secure Identity Assessment equips organizations with the tools and expertise to address their Identity infrastructure, proactively remediate vulnerabilities, and adopt the strongest possible security posture. Lessons learned from our internal security debt management program helped us mold the Secure Identity Assessment into a solid model for reducing Identity debt and maintaining compliance in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

How Okta’s Secure Identity Assessment works

The Secure Identity Assessment provides actionable insights to help organizations address security vulnerabilities and Identity management challenges. It also provides a clear remediation plan to enhance your overall security posture. There are a few key ways in which the Secure Identity Assessment can help.

• Comprehensive Identity evaluation: The Secure Identity Assessment helps you identify misconfigurations, orphaned accounts, and permission anomalies.
• Tailored roadmap to remediation: Every organization is different. Secure Identity Assessment offers a clear remediation plan with specific, actionable insights based on each customer’s unique Identity landscape.
• Multi-tiered approach: Whether you’re a large enterprise needing in-depth support, a mid-sized company seeking targeted recommendations, or a small team looking for self-guided solutions, the Secure Identity Assessment has flexible options to fit your needs.

Benefits of reducing Identity debt

Tackling Identity debt is about more than just identifying issues — it’s about driving real, measurable improvements in security. Okta’s Secure Identity Assessment helps organizations address misconfigurations, orphaned accounts, and permission anomalies, all of which can lead to security vulnerabilities. By thoroughly evaluating your Identity infrastructure, Okta can help find and address possible gaps before they become exploitable weaknesses.

We’ve also prioritized addressing and reducing our own critical security debt. In the process, we’ve seen firsthand how vital it is to continuously assess and remediate vulnerabilities. This approach has enabled us to strengthen our posture, and we’re extending this expertise to help our customers stay ahead of threats.

With the Secure Identity Assessment’s tailored and personalized solutions, no two organizations receive the same security recommendations. Instead, you receive customized remediation plans based on your Identity landscape. Through the assessment, your organization can:

• Reduce risk exposure: Proactively address security gaps to minimize the potential for breaches.
• Strengthen compliance: Help ensure that your organization meets regulatory standards and reduces the risk of non-compliance.
• Streamline Identity governance: Simplify Identity management by automating critical tasks, reducing administrative burden, and improving operational efficiency.
• Improve staff retention: Addressing identity debt can help reduce technical bottlenecks and improve morale among developers and IT teams, leading to fewer highly-privileged personnel changes that may have otherwise contributed to Identity debt.

Tailored solutions to fit every organization’s needs

Our Secure Identity Assessment offers a flexible, multi-tiered approach to meet the specific needs of your organization:

• Premium: Kick off with an expert assist-driven roadmap and comprehensive discovery sessions for large enterprises requiring in-depth analysis.
• Advanced: Receive targeted recommendations and partner-assisted discovery sessions, ideal for mid-sized organizations focused on reducing Identity debt.
• Essential: Start with a self-paced or partner-guided assessment — perfect for smaller teams or those seeking a scalable, flexible solution.

Whether you’re seeking to adopt stronger security measures, streamline your Identity management, or reduce compliance risks, Okta’s Secure Identity Assessment offers the guidance and tools you need to proactively manage Identity debt and enhance your security posture.

Contact us today to learn how you can strengthen your organizational defenses, and learn more about how Okta is proactively helping customers mitigate their Identity debt.