How Mature Is Your Identity and Access Management Program?

Identity-based threats continue to rise in frequency and sophistication. Already, more than three-quarters of breaches are identity-based, making it even more urgent that organizations have robust Identity and Access Management (IAM) programs. A survey of 625 IT professionals by the Ponemon Institute, sponsored by GuidePoint Security, reveals that most organizations are struggling to reach IAM maturity, largely due to manual processes, underinvestment in IAM technologies, and limited adoption of advanced tools and automation.

Key Findings on IAM Maturity:

• Low Confidence in IAM Effectiveness:
  Only 50% of respondents rate their IAM tools and investments as effective, and just 44% express high confidence in their ability to prevent identity-based security incidents. 
• IAM investments are not prioritized relative to other IT security areas:
  Only 47% identified IAM as a high investment priority.
• Manual Processes Impede Progress:
  A key barrier to IAM maturity is the continued reliance on manual or semi-manual processes.
  Deprovisioning of both human and non-human identities, privileged access management (PAM), and identity verification are often still handled manually, increasing risk and inefficiencies.
• High Performers Set the Standard:
  Only 23% of organizations qualify as “high performers”—those that rate their identity tools and investments as highly effective (9 or 10 out of 10). These organizations:
  • Are significantly less likely to experience identity-related incidents (39% vs. 61%).
  • Adopt biometric authentication (64% vs. 37%), compromised password detection (59% vs. 34%), and PAM platforms (56% vs. 23%) at higher rates.
  • Lead in the adoption of emerging technologies like Identity Threat Detection & Response (ITDR), Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM), and Identity Governance & Administration (IGA).
• Technology, Expertise, and Resource Gaps:
  Lack of appropriate technologies (54%), in-house expertise (52%), and resources (45%) are cited as top challenges to achieving IAM maturity.
• IAM Implementation Misaligned with Security Goals:
  Surprisingly, 45% of respondents say the primary driver for IAM investments is to improve user experience—not security. Just 34% are motivated by regulatory requirements, and 31% by workforce complexity.
• Policy and Platform Disconnect:
  While most organizations report having policies in place or in development (83%), only 28% have these policies integrated into their IAM platforms. Periodic access reviews are conducted, but often manually via spreadsheets (34%) or homegrown tools (36%).
• Limited Automation in Non-Human Identity Management:
  Only 41% include non-human identities in deprovisioning processes. Of those, 40% still rely on manual processes, while only 26% use SaaS or third-party automation tools.
• Privileged Access Management (PAM) Lacks Integration:
  Just 27% of organizations integrate PAM with other IAM systems. Even among those that do, fewer than half find the integration effective.

Conclusion and Recommendations:

The study underscores a critical gap between current IAM practices and the level of maturity needed to combat modern identity threats. High performers illustrate that prioritizing automation, adopting advanced IAM technologies, and tightly integrating policy and process can significantly improve identity security outcomes.

To close the IAM maturity gap, organizations should:

• Prioritize IAM as a core element of security strategy—not just a user convenience tool.
• Invest in automation, biometric authentication, compromised credential detection, and machine identity governance.
• Integrate identity policies and governance with IAM platforms.
• Reduce manual processes in onboarding/offboarding, access certification, and PAM.
• Address skills and resource shortages by building in-house expertise or leveraging specialized partners (such as GuidePoint Security).

IAM maturity is not a checkbox—it’s a continuous journey. Organizations that commit to evolving their identity practices will be better positioned to secure their users, data, and systems in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Download the full report to read more findings and insights.

Read more about GuidePoint Security’s IAM Advisory Services and Identity as a Service, and how we can help your business achieve Identity and Access Management Maturity.