Modern enterprise networks are highly complex environments that rely on hundreds of apps and infrastructure services. These systems need to interact securely and efficiently without constant human oversight, which is where non-human identities (NHIs) come in. NHIs — including application secrets, API keys, service accounts, and OAuth tokens — have exploded in recent years, thanks to an ever-expanding array of apps and services that must work together and identify one another on the fly. In some enterprises, NHIs now outnumber human identities by as much as 50-to-1. However, NHIs introduce unique risks and management challenges that have security leaders on high alert. Forty-six percent of organizations have experienced compromises of NHI accounts or credentials over the past year, and another 26% suspect they have, according to a recent report from Enterprise Strategy Group. It's no wonder NHIs — and the difficulties they present with oversight, risk reduction, and governance — have been a recurring topic at Okta's CISO Forum. Here, we'll explore their rise, risks, and how CISOs and security leaders are managing them today. The spectacular rise of NHIs The rise in NHIs can be traced to the increasing use of cloud services, AI and automation, and digital workflows. It's a trend that's likely to continue, as more and more tasks are automated and humans are less of a part of the equation. NHIs allow apps to authenticate to one another, both inside a specific domain and with…Read More