Shadow identities are the invisible threat that undermines the security of the enterprise – without visibility, … [+]
The rapid approval of the power applications he and the cloud-based Saas tools has revolutionized the workplace efficiency-but it has also introduced a new, mostly unknown security crisis. As organizations focus on external internet threats, a silent weakness is growing within their ranks: shadow identities. These are the accounts of users that exist outside of corporate certificate, which operate at the blind points of traditional security controls.
Layerx Identity Safety Report “2025 Identity” shares research on Saas identity trends and reveals that 80% of Saas enterprise entrances are invisible to it and security teams due to use of personal credentials or corporate accounts non supported by SSO. This means that in most organizations, most workforce interactions with cloud applications occur without security supervision, leaving companies exposed to possible data violations, compliance violations and theft of credentials.
Increasingly invisible digital identities
Shadow identities appear when employees bypass corporate certificate protocols – often inadvertently – by registering in Saas applications using personal accounts or controlled credentials. In many cases, this is because organizations fail to implement strict single entry policies or because users prioritize security over security.
This issue is especially widespread in the case of power tools, where the demand often exceeds security governance. Consider the case of Deepseek, a generator application of one who has gained rapid adoption. Unlike platforms such as Chatgpt or Microsoft Copilot, Deepseek requires users to register, but only support Google SSO, leaving companies relying on Microsoft or no sight of how their employees are using the tool.
“While most discussions focus on where that tools store data, the biggest concern is how they are achieved and what data they handle,” explains or Eshed, CEO and Layerx co -founder. The security implications of this supervision are extensive. When employees use non-corporate credentials to access the applications, there is no way for organizations to monitor which data are being shared, whether the owner’s information is at risk, or whether access is being used by bad actors.
Why do the shadow identities pose an increasing risk
At a time when applications he and the Cloud are becoming deeply embedded in the course of daily work, organizations face an identity security paradox:
- Saas platforms provide incomparable flexibility and productivity profits.
- The same platforms are increasingly achieved through un manual identities that security teams cannot follow or control.
This risk is enlarged from the hybrid work environment, where employees often pass between personal and corporate accounts on the same device. Layerx research suggests that nearly 40% of the entry of the Saas enterprise occurs through personal credentials and 67% of the entrances completely bypass SSO Corporations, making the governance of identity almost impossible.
“Visibility is essential; However, collecting mirrors from tools outside the browsers can be time and even challenging, ”says Tomer Maman, a similar ciso.
Without a clear picture of how employees interact with Saas applications – especially the tools of the one who process and analyze sensitive data – the organizations lack the ability to implement critical security policies, detect internal threats, or prevent unwanted leaks data.
Identity as the first line of protection
Traditional security models focus on protecting the network layers, protecting the bottom point and fire walls-All of these are quickly becoming ineffective against modern threats. While the Cloud applications replace the traditional company software, the identity itself has become the new security perimeter.
Organizations should move from outdated security models to a first identity approach that prioritizes the viewership and governance of how users access digital resources. That means:
- Strict implementation of SSO policies in all Saas enterprise applications.
- Prohibition of using non -corporate accounts for work -related tasks.
- Implementing real -time monitoring of Saas entrances to detect unauthorized access.
- Protection against credential theft by applying multi-factor certificate and proactive phishing detection.
Without these controls, the shadow identities will continue to spread, increasing the possibility of data extension, regulatory disregard, and the non -controlled risks of it.
He, identity and future of online security
The evolution of Saas energy platforms it presents both opportunities and risks. On the one hand, it increases efficiency and automation, but on the other hand, it creates new weaknesses by increasing confidence in applications that operate outside traditional security supervision.
The challenge for organizations is not only to provide him with the means, but to ensure that the identities that approach them are legal and fully governed. The security perimeter has moved – organizations that fail to adapt to this new reality run the risk of losing control over their most valuable property: their data.
As it continues to reformulate the business landscape, security leaders must rethink their approach to identity governance, ensuring that access to enterprise applications is transparent, responsible and secure.