Regulations like DORA, NIS2, and GDPR have put identity governance under the spotlight. But too many organizations still treat governance as a compliance obligation—rather than a strategic enabler of security.
Here’s the hard truth: you can pass your audit and still be vulnerable to identity-based attacks. That’s because compliance is often backward-looking—while attackers are looking forward.
To truly protect your organization, identity governance must evolve. It needs to be continuous, contextual, and above all, risk aware.
Traditional governance programs focus on demonstrating control—tracking who has access, performing periodic reviews, and keeping records for auditors.
But those controls are often manual, disconnected from security systems, and oblivious to real-time risk. That’s a recipe for missed threats.
Consider this: an employee changes roles; gains access to a critical system and then uses that access to exfiltrate data. If your governance program only does quarterly access reviews, you might not detect that abuse for months.
In a world of agile threats, static controls are no longer enough.
Identity security posture management (ISPM) is a new cybersecurity framework designed to help organizations account for these risks.
- ISPM starts with real-time visibility—understanding all access across all systems, including cloud apps, infrastructure, and legacy environments. It also: Prioritizes access reviews based on user risk profiles
- Proactively flags toxic combinations and separation-of-duties violations instantly
- Uses behavioural signals and context (e.g., location, device, time of access) to inform governance decisions
This is where RSA Governance & Lifecycle shines.
RSA not only helps you meet compliance mandates, it also empowers you to leverage ISPM principles that:
- Reduce time-to-certify access by up to 60%
- Detect policy violations before auditors do
- Automatically revoke high-risk access without waiting for quarterly reviews
New regulations like the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and NIS2 go beyond checkbox compliance. They emphasize operational continuity, risk mitigation, and proactive incident prevention.
This aligns perfectly with the direction modern governance needs to take.
Under DORA, for example, financial institutions must demonstrate resilience—not just security. That includes ensuring the right access controls are in place and that governance policies align with operational risk.
With RSA, organizations can:
- Automate reporting for auditors and regulators
- Enforce least privilege access across hybrid environments
- Align governance workflows with broader risk management objectives
When done right, identity governance isn’t just about satisfying auditors. It’s about enabling secure business growth.
By aligning governance with security and risk, organizations can:
- Minimize the attack surface
- Respond faster to internal threats
- Build trust with stakeholders, regulators, and customers
In short: compliance is the starting line—not the finish line. Risk-aware identity governance is how you win the race.
The stakes have never been higher. Identity-based attacks are on the rise, and regulators are taking notice. It’s time to make governance smarter, faster, and more aligned with the realities of today’s threats.
With RSA, you can move beyond compliance—and toward true identity resilience.
