Shift: manage identities, not devices
Security leaders are urging a strategic shift from device‑centric controls to identity‑first security — ‘identity is the new perimeter,’ says Palo Alto Networks’ Abdullah Altaifi — to handle hybrid learning and mixed fleets. Centralized identity, SSO, and conditional access are framed as more scalable and auditable than device‑by‑device policies. (tahawultech.com)
Abdullah Altaifi, Regional Vice President for Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Bahrain at Palo Alto Networks, made the case for shifting from device management to identity-centric controls in a TahawulTech interview discussing AI’s impact on cybersecurity. (tahawultech.com) Palo Alto Networks framed that shift as strategic on Feb. 11, 2026, when it published a blog titled “Securing Every Identity in the Age of AI” and announced CyberArk is joining Palo Alto Networks to unify identity capabilities. (paloaltonetworks.com) The company’s blog states identity is now the top attack vector, reporting that 87% of organizations saw at least two identity-centric breaches in the prior 12 months, and that machine identities now outnumber human identities by more than 80-to-1. (paloaltonetworks.com) Palo Alto’s Identity Security landing page lists specific controls aimed at reducing admin load—intelligent privilege controls, Endpoint Identity Security, Privileged Access Management, Modern IGA and Zero Standing Privileges are named as platform capabilities. (paloaltonetworks.com) Industry commentary and reports cited alongside this shift note widespread IdP adoption—Tenable data shows 83% of AWS users configured at least one IdP—and surveys find over four in five organizations prefer a single platform for identity and access management. (securityboulevard.com) Palo Alto’s materials and partner messaging emphasize continuous identity risk controls and CIEM-style governance to manage machine and service accounts at scale, positioning automated lifecycle and privilege management as the way to replace fragmented, manual policies. (paloaltonetworks.com)
