Episode 111: IAM : Lessons from Failure and a Path Forward

In this episode, we’ll dive into the hard-earned truths behind identity and access management (IAM) initiatives that didn’t go as planned. Through candid discussion and real-world case studies, we'll explore the root causes of IAM project failures—from over-engineering to misaligned stakeholder expectations—and chart a more resilient, adaptive path forward. Whether you’re an architect, engineer, or decision-maker, this session offers practical insights and forward-thinking strategies to help you build IAM systems that actually work.

#Speakers

• Host: Mike Schwartz, Founder/CEO Gluu
• Guest: Ankit Gupta, Cyber Security Advisory, Co-founder
• Guest: Gustavo J Gallardo, Founder @ Identicum

#Homework

• Doomscrolling an Identity Governance Programme via Manoj Kumar

#Takeaways

• Make sure you have leadership fully on-board before you start your big identity project.
• Define a governance model to align all stakeholders, also a vision about how it fits together.
• Beware of over-scoped projects: start from small success--which gives you value to build on.
• Beware of applying a change-management paradigm that doesn't apply to IDM. For example, do you use prod users in QA?
• Build a culture of security -- make sure there is stakeholder engagement support
• Understand you underlying data. All identity systems rely on good data. Right Radiant Logic?
• Don't forget to manage software identity and service accounts, even though that industry is embryonic.
• Invest in secrets management and lifecycle. For example, how do you manage private keys for signing and MTLS?