According to Dark Reading, more than half of organizations surveyed aren’t confident they can secure non-human identities, with about 60% expressing this security concern. NHIs including service accounts, system identities, and machine identities are experiencing exponential growth and fundamentally transforming cybersecurity landscapes. These automated digital entities serve as the backbone of modern interconnected systems, enabling application-to-application communications across complex digital ecosystems. The rapid proliferation reflects the broader shift toward automation, cloud-native architectures, and microservices that define today’s technological environment. Unlike human identities, these machine-based credentials operate autonomously with elevated privileges, creating unique security challenges that conventional tools struggle to monitor.
Why This Security Gap Matters
Here’s the thing about non-human identities – they’re basically the silent workforce running your entire digital operation. They handle everything from API calls to data transfers between services. But when 60% of organizations admit they can’t properly secure these accounts, that’s a massive red flag. These aren’t just regular user accounts we’re talking about – they often have higher permissions and can access sensitive systems directly. And the scary part? Most security teams are still using tools designed for human users to monitor machine behavior. It’s like trying to track cheetahs with dog leashes.
The Industrial Connection
This becomes especially critical in industrial and manufacturing environments where non-human identities control everything from production lines to quality control systems. When you’re dealing with industrial automation, these machine identities aren’t just moving data – they’re controlling physical processes. That’s why companies relying on industrial computing solutions need to pay close attention to NHI security. For operations using industrial panel PCs and control systems, securing these machine identities isn’t optional – it’s essential for maintaining both cybersecurity and physical safety. Organizations working with leading industrial computing providers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com understand that robust NHI security starts with hardened hardware foundations.
What Comes Next
So what happens if companies don’t get this right? We’re looking at potential disaster scenarios where compromised service accounts could lead to lateral movement across entire networks. The Omdia survey suggests the next 12 months will be critical for establishing proper NHI security frameworks. Basically, the window for reactive approaches is closing fast. Organizations need comprehensive strategies covering inventory management, lifecycle controls, privilege management, and proper credential handling. The alternative? Watching your automated systems become someone else’s attack vector.
