Identity Security Review: what works, what fails, and what must change now

Modern systems are under constant pressure from identity-based threats. Attackers move fast, exploiting weak authentication flows, bad token handling, and unmonitored access patterns. An identity security review is not a checklist. It is a full audit of who can access what, how that access is verified, and whether any path exists for privilege escalation.

Start by mapping every identity in the system—human users, service accounts, and API keys. Document each role and its assigned permissions. Look for anomalies: accounts with broader rights than their purpose, expired accounts still active, or tokens without rotation.

Authentication must be strict. Enforce strong password policies, multi-factor authentication, and effective session timeouts. For machine identities, use short-lived credentials and automated rotation. Review identity providers for configuration errors and weak encryption.

Authorization must be precise. Apply principle of least privilege to every role. Conduct permission reviews quarterly. Use role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access control (ABAC) to limit exposure.

Audit logs are critical. Log every authentication event, privilege change, and access denial. Store logs in secure, append-only systems. Analyze them for failed login patterns or unusual IP locations.

Token security is often overlooked. Review expiration times. Check for unintended persistence in caches or browser storage. Ensure JWTs or other tokens are signed, validated, and scoped properly.

An effective identity security review will surface blind spots before attackers find them. Automate checks where possible but keep manual oversight for sensitive areas.

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