The rapid pace of digital & AI transformations across enterprise infrastructure has brought with it a fundamental question: will identity replace network security as the primary method for securing modern organizations? As businesses shift from traditional, on-premises networks to cloud environments, the focus of cybersecurity is changing.
In the past, network security measures—such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and VPNs—were the main defenses against cyberattacks. However, with the rise of cloud computing, remote work, and mobile devices, the network perimeter has blurred, and identity has emerged as a critical component of security strategies. This transition has sparked an ongoing debate: does this mean that network security is becoming obsolete, or will it continue to be a vital layer of defense alongside identity-based protections?
The shift to cloud environments has fundamentally altered how organizations approach security.
Traditional network security was built around a “castle and moat” model, where the network perimeter served as a strong boundary between internal trusted systems and external threats. As long as users and devices remained within this perimeter, they were considered safe. However, as organizations migrate to the cloud and employees increasingly work remotely, that clear perimeter no longer exists. Cloud environments are dynamic and decentralized, requiring new security measures that transcend physical boundaries. In this context, identity has gained prominence as the new perimeter, offering a way to verify and control access in a world where the traditional network boundary is no longer relevant.
Identity-based security focuses on controlling access to applications, systems, and data based on user identities, roles, and privileges. It uses technologies such as Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions to ensure that only authorized individuals can access sensitive resources.
In today’s world of hybrid workforces, bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies, and cloud services, ensuring the authenticity of the user has become the foundation of security. This shift towards identity-centric security is also supported by the adoption of the Zero Trust model, which assumes that no user or device can be trusted by default, whether inside or outside the network. Instead, every request for access must be continuously verified based on identity, making it one of the core pillars of modern cybersecurity frameworks.
Despite the growing importance of identity in security frameworks, network security is far from obsolete. The emergence of cloud-native applications and software-defined networks (SDN) has not erased the need for network protection. Network security is still critical for monitoring, detecting, and mitigating threats that target the infrastructure layer, such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, malware propagation, and unauthorized network access. While identity management systems can control who gets access, network security technologies focus on how that access is granted and maintained—ensuring that data flows securely between users, applications, and devices.
The history of identity and network security offers insights into how these two areas have evolved and shaped today’s cybersecurity landscape. Initially, identity in computing was simple. Authentication methods like passwords and usernames were used to verify users, but these systems were relatively isolated from the broader network security controls.
Over time, as organizations grew and interconnected systems became more complex, the need for centralized identity management arose. Solutions such as Active Directory and LDAP emerged, allowing organizations to centralize user authentication and control access across multiple systems. With the advent of the cloud, identity solutions became even more sophisticated, incorporating technologies like OAuth, SAML, and MFA to secure user interactions in distributed environments.
Network security, by contrast, developed alongside the rise of interconnected computer systems and the internet. Early network defenses relied on perimeter-based security, with firewalls and routers serving as the gatekeepers to internal networks.
As threats evolved, network security grew more sophisticated, incorporating technologies such as intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) and network segmentation to limit the spread of attacks. In recent years, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) has emerged as a new model that blends network security and identity-based controls, allowing organizations to secure their networks and user access in a more integrated manner.
The question of whether identity will replace network security is not a simple one. While identity is becoming a dominant force in modern security strategies, network security remains essential for defending against infrastructure-level threats.
The idea of identity replacing network security arises primarily from the fact that cloud environments and decentralized workforces require a different approach to security. However, it is not a matter of one solution entirely supplanting the other; rather, they should be seen as complementary.
In cloud-native environments, identity controls can manage access based on user roles, privileges, and the principle of least privilege, ensuring that individuals only have access to what they need. On the other hand, network security can provide visibility into how traffic moves across the organization’s infrastructure, identifying anomalous behavior, mitigating attacks, and protecting data as it moves between users and systems.
Even in a Zero Trust model, which places identity at the center of security, network segmentation and traffic monitoring remain essential to prevent lateral movement by attackers and limit the impact of potential breaches.
As organizations continue to evolve and adopt digital transformation strategies, the role of identity in security will undoubtedly increase. However, network security will still play a crucial role in safeguarding infrastructure and monitoring threats.
A hybrid approach that integrates both identity-centric and network-based security measures is likely to be the most effective strategy for the foreseeable future. Instead of seeing this as an either/or debate, the future of cybersecurity will involve a blending of both disciplines, creating a layered, defense-in-depth approach to security that leverages the strengths of identity and network controls.
History of Identity in Security
Early Use of Identity in Computing
The concept of identity in computing has its origins in the early days of enterprise and mainframe systems, where user authentication was rudimentary yet essential. In these early systems, passwords and usernames were the primary method for verifying the identity of users. Usernames functioned as a simple way to differentiate between users, while passwords were the primary secret used to authenticate the claimed identity. These systems were largely isolated, and network security as we know it today was not a major concern. The primary focus of early identity mechanisms was ensuring that the correct person was accessing the appropriate resources within the system.
In this era, identity management was relatively straightforward. Users logged into systems locally, and there was limited integration with broader network controls. However, as computer networks began to grow and systems became more interconnected, the limitations of early identity solutions became apparent. Organizations needed more sophisticated ways to authenticate users across different systems and ensure that access was appropriately managed, particularly as employees began accessing multiple applications and databases.
These early identity solutions had minimal integration with network security measures. Network security, where it existed, was often managed separately, focused on securing the boundaries of the network rather than integrating closely with identity management. This gap between identity and network security began to close as enterprises recognized the need for a more unified approach to controlling access across growing IT ecosystems.
The Emergence of Single Sign-On (SSO) and Identity Management Systems
As organizations expanded and their IT environments became more complex, the need for centralized identity management and more streamlined access control methods became clear. Single Sign-On (SSO) technology emerged to address this challenge, allowing users to log in once and gain access to multiple applications without needing to re-authenticate for each one. This was particularly valuable in larger organizations, where users often needed access to many different systems throughout their workday.
At the same time, foundational technologies such as Kerberos, Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), and Microsoft’s Active Directory (AD) began to take hold. Kerberos provided a network authentication protocol that allowed secure communications over an insecure network, significantly improving the security of identity-based access. LDAP allowed organizations to store and retrieve identity information in a centralized directory, which could be shared across multiple applications and systems. Active Directory, introduced by Microsoft in the late 1990s, revolutionized identity management by offering a comprehensive directory service that allowed organizations to centrally manage user identities and control access across an entire network.
These identity management systems marked a major turning point in the evolution of security practices. By centralizing identity data, organizations could more easily enforce consistent security policies across their networks. However, identity management was still largely focused on internal systems, and network security controls were often applied separately. The challenge of integrating identity management with broader security frameworks would continue to grow as the internet expanded and cloud computing entered the picture.
Modern Identity Solutions
As businesses moved into the 21st century, the need for more robust and scalable identity management solutions became even more pronounced. Cloud computing and digital transformation initiatives shifted much of the IT infrastructure outside the traditional network perimeter. This new paradigm demanded identity solutions that could operate effectively across distributed environments. Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems emerged as the central hub for managing users, devices, and services in modern enterprises.
IAM systems provide centralized control over user authentication, authorization, and auditing. They support key security practices such as enforcing role-based access control (RBAC), managing user permissions, and ensuring that access is revoked when no longer needed. With the rise of cloud computing, Identity as a Service (IDaaS) offerings began to emerge, allowing organizations to outsource their identity management functions to cloud providers.
Another critical development in modern identity security has been the adoption of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). MFA requires users to present two or more forms of verification to access resources, greatly enhancing security compared to traditional username and password approaches. MFA has become an essential component of secure authentication practices, especially in environments where sensitive data or systems are accessed remotely.
Additionally, the Zero Trust security model has gained traction in recent years. This model assumes that no user or device can be trusted by default, whether inside or outside the network perimeter. Every access request must be continuously authenticated and verified based on identity. Identity plays a central role in this framework, as Zero Trust emphasizes granular access control based on the user’s identity, context, and risk profile.
Modern identity solutions also leverage technologies such as OAuth, SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language), and OpenID Connect to facilitate secure authentication in cloud-native environments. These protocols enable seamless authentication across various cloud services, providing a consistent and secure way to manage access without relying on traditional network boundaries. In cloud environments, identity has effectively become the new perimeter, with access control revolving around who a user is and what they are authorized to do, rather than where they are located on the network.
History of Network Security
The Early Days of Network Perimeters
Network security began to take shape as organizations started connecting multiple systems and users through local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). In the early days, the concept of the network perimeter was crucial. Organizations operated under the assumption that if they could secure the boundary between their internal network and the external world, they could prevent unauthorized access and protect sensitive data.
Firewalls were one of the earliest and most important technologies developed for network security. A firewall acts as a gatekeeper, controlling the flow of traffic between an internal network and the external internet. Early firewalls were simple packet filters, inspecting incoming and outgoing traffic and deciding whether to allow or block it based on predefined rules. As threats became more sophisticated, firewalls evolved to include stateful inspection, deep packet inspection, and application-layer filtering.
Alongside firewalls, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) emerged as a way for organizations to secure communications over the public internet. VPNs allow remote users to connect to an organization’s internal network as if they were physically present, encrypting the data exchanged over the connection to ensure confidentiality and integrity. VPNs played a critical role in enabling secure remote work, long before the current era of widespread remote access.
Another important development in early network security was the creation of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). IDS technologies monitor network traffic for signs of malicious activity and alert administrators when potential threats are detected. While they do not block attacks on their own, IDS systems provide valuable insight into network vulnerabilities and help organizations respond to security incidents in a timely manner.
The Rise of Network Segmentation
As networks grew more complex, the idea of network segmentation emerged as a way to limit the damage caused by security breaches. Segmentation involves dividing a network into smaller, isolated segments, each with its own security controls. By segmenting a network, organizations can prevent attackers from moving laterally through the system if they manage to breach one area. This approach is especially useful for protecting critical systems and sensitive data from less secure parts of the network.
Microsegmentation, a more granular form of network segmentation, has gained popularity in recent years. Microsegmentation allows organizations to create highly specific security policies for individual workloads, applications, and devices within the network. By controlling access at such a granular level, microsegmentation significantly reduces the attack surface and makes it harder for intruders to move undetected within the network.
Network Security in the Cloud Era
The migration to cloud environments has dramatically changed how organizations approach network security. In traditional on-premises environments, security was largely hardware-based, relying on physical firewalls, routers, and switches to protect the network perimeter. However, as organizations move their applications, data, and services to the cloud, network security must evolve to meet new challenges.
Software-Defined Networks (SDN) have become a key technology in this shift. SDN decouples the network control plane from the physical hardware, allowing administrators to manage network traffic programmatically. This flexibility is crucial for cloud environments, where networks are highly dynamic and need to scale quickly. SDN enables organizations to apply security policies across distributed environments in a consistent and efficient manner.
In response to the growing complexity of cloud and hybrid environments, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) has emerged as a new approach to network security. SASE combines networking and security functions into a single, cloud-delivered service model. It integrates network security measures such as firewalls, Secure Web Gateways (SWG), and Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) with identity-based access controls, enabling organizations to secure users and data regardless of their location. SASE reflects the growing convergence of network security and identity, as both are required to protect cloud-native and hybrid environments effectively.
Reasons Why Identity Could Replace Network Security
1. Cloud-Native Environments Require Identity-Centric Security
As organizations increasingly migrate their workloads to cloud-native and hybrid environments, traditional network perimeters—once the foundation of network security—are becoming obsolete. In cloud ecosystems, applications, users, and data are no longer confined to a single physical network, which makes traditional perimeter-based security models insufficient. Instead, identity has emerged as the primary control point for securing access to resources.
Cloud environments are inherently decentralized, with applications distributed across various locations and accessed by users from different regions. This makes identity-based security essential. For example, a user in a multinational organization might access cloud services like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP) from multiple locations or devices. Traditional network firewalls and routers are ineffective in protecting this kind of distributed architecture. In contrast, identity solutions—such as Identity and Access Management (IAM) platforms—ensure that only authorized users gain access to these services, regardless of their location or device.
Additionally, cloud-native architectures rely heavily on APIs and microservices that communicate across different environments. In these cases, identity verification—often through token-based protocols like OAuth and OpenID Connect—plays a crucial role in securing these interactions. The control and verification of identities at every step in these interactions make identity the new perimeter in cloud-native architectures.
2. Zero Trust Model Centers Around Identity
The Zero Trust security model, which has become increasingly popular in recent years, fundamentally assumes that no entity—whether inside or outside the organization’s network—can be trusted by default. Under Zero Trust, every user, device, and network connection must be authenticated and authorized continuously before access is granted. In this model, identity takes center stage because it becomes the key method for continuously validating who is accessing the system.
In traditional network security models, users inside the network perimeter were implicitly trusted, while those outside were scrutinized. However, this approach is inadequate for modern distributed environments, where internal actors can be compromised, and external access is common. Zero Trust shifts the focus from securing network boundaries to securing individual user sessions through strong identity verification. For example, solutions that incorporate Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and conditional access policies can enforce Zero Trust principles by validating each user’s identity, location, and device before granting access.
Identity-based access control is essential for enforcing Zero Trust policies because it allows organizations to monitor and limit access based on who the user is and what they are trying to access, regardless of their location within or outside the network.
3. Identity Can Provide Granular Access Controls
A significant advantage of identity-based security over traditional network security is its ability to provide granular, real-time access control. Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions can be tailored to each user’s specific role, the applications they need to access, and the context in which they are operating. With robust identity solutions, organizations can enforce fine-grained access policies that restrict access based on factors like time of day, user role, geographical location, or even the type of device being used.
For example, an organization might allow a remote employee to access its Human Resources (HR) application only during specific business hours and only from a corporate-managed laptop. Identity-based access controls can also be adaptive, meaning they can change in real-time based on the risk level. If an access attempt seems suspicious—perhaps because it is coming from an unfamiliar location—the system can require additional authentication steps or deny access entirely.
In contrast, network-based security often relies on static controls, such as firewalls or Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which are less flexible and harder to scale in dynamic environments like the cloud. As organizations grow and evolve, identity-based access controls can be scaled more easily and provide more nuanced security than traditional network-based mechanisms.
4. Remote Work and BYOD Demand Strong Identity Controls
The rise of remote work and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies has significantly increased the importance of identity-based security. In this era of distributed workforces, employees frequently access corporate resources from various locations, devices, and networks that are outside the traditional security perimeter. This shift has rendered network-based security mechanisms like perimeter firewalls and intrusion detection systems less effective, as they cannot account for the diversity of devices and connections involved.
Identity-based security, on the other hand, excels in these scenarios. By focusing on verifying the user’s identity and ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive systems, identity solutions can accommodate the needs of remote workers without compromising security. For example, MFA can ensure that a user logging in from a home network or a personal device still undergoes rigorous verification before being granted access to company resources. This flexibility has made identity the cornerstone of security strategies for organizations with remote and mobile workforces.
5. Identity as the Key to Digital Transformation
Digital transformation initiatives require businesses to adopt new technologies, streamline operations, and deliver services in increasingly agile and efficient ways. A major component of this transformation is the need for seamless, secure access to a wide range of applications and data. Identity-based security is crucial for enabling this vision, as it ensures that users can access the resources they need—whether in the cloud or on-premise—without compromising security.
Identity management solutions like Single Sign-On (SSO) enable users to authenticate once and gain access to multiple applications without needing to remember separate credentials for each. This not only enhances user productivity but also simplifies the management of access control across complex IT environments. Furthermore, identity solutions support the principle of least privilege, ensuring that users are only granted the access they need to perform their jobs, thus minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches. As businesses continue to adopt cloud-based services and embrace digital transformation, identity will play an increasingly important role in securing these initiatives.
6. Network Security Has Blind Spots
While traditional network security measures like firewalls and VPNs are effective at controlling access based on location and IP address, they often fail to address the more complex threats posed by insider threats or compromised user accounts. Network security primarily focuses on keeping bad actors out, but it assumes that anyone inside the network perimeter can be trusted—a dangerous assumption in today’s environment of advanced threats.
Identity-based security, however, can mitigate this risk by continuously verifying each user’s identity and activity. For example, if a legitimate user’s account is compromised by a phishing attack, network security may not detect the threat because the attacker is now using valid credentials. Identity solutions, particularly those that incorporate behavioral analytics and user activity monitoring, can detect anomalous behavior—such as accessing systems outside of normal working hours or attempting to download large amounts of sensitive data—and take appropriate action, such as revoking access or requiring additional authentication.
Reasons Why Network Security Will Remain Critical
1. Network Security Protects Against a Range of Attacks
While identity-based security plays a critical role in modern cybersecurity strategies, network security remains essential for defending against certain types of attacks that identity solutions alone cannot mitigate. Network security tools—such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and anti-malware technologies—are specifically designed to detect and block network-based attacks like Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, malware propagation, and unauthorized network intrusions.
For instance, firewalls can block malicious traffic from entering the network in the first place, while IDS/IPS systems can detect and stop attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in the network infrastructure. Even if an attacker successfully gains access to a network by compromising a user’s identity, network security measures can still detect and mitigate the damage caused by lateral movement or other network-based threats. In this sense, network security provides a crucial layer of defense that complements identity-based controls.
2. Layered Security Is Still the Best Practice
The concept of defense-in-depth advocates for a layered security approach, where multiple security measures work together to protect an organization’s assets. Rather than relying on one type of security control—whether identity-based or network-based—defense-in-depth ensures that if one layer of security fails, others remain in place to protect the organization.
In a defense-in-depth strategy, identity solutions control who gets access to systems, while network security measures manage how that access is monitored and secured. For example, even if a user’s identity is authenticated, network security can detect abnormal patterns in their data flow that could indicate a breach. This layered approach is particularly effective in mitigating advanced threats that bypass traditional security controls, providing more comprehensive protection for organizations.
3. Legacy Systems and On-Prem Networks Are Not Going Away
While cloud adoption is accelerating, many organizations continue to rely on legacy applications and on-premise infrastructure for critical business functions. These systems often cannot be easily migrated to the cloud, either because of technical limitations or because they are integral to ongoing business operations. In these environments, network security remains a critical component of the overall security strategy.
Legacy systems often lack modern security features like advanced IAM capabilities or MFA. As a result, network-based controls—such as firewalls, network segmentation, and VPNs—are necessary to protect these systems from external threats. For example, a manufacturing company might rely on legacy Industrial Control Systems (ICS) to manage its operations. These systems cannot be easily secured with modern identity solutions, so network security must be employed to ensure that malicious actors cannot exploit vulnerabilities in the network to compromise these critical assets.
4. Network Visibility Is Critical
One of the strengths of network security is its ability to provide deep visibility into network traffic. Tools like firewalls, IDS/IPS, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems allow organizations to monitor network activity in real-time, detect anomalies, and identify malicious behavior that might not be visible through identity-based controls alone.
For instance, network security tools can perform deep packet inspection to analyze the content of network traffic and detect signs of malicious activity, such as command-and-control communications from malware or unauthorized data exfiltration. These tools can also identify patterns of network behavior that indicate an attack, such as a sudden spike in traffic from a single IP address (a potential sign of a Distributed Denial of Service, or DDoS, attack), or an unusual increase in lateral movement within the network (which could indicate an attacker trying to spread malware or explore sensitive parts of the system).
Network security’s ability to provide this level of visibility is crucial, particularly when dealing with sophisticated attacks that may bypass identity controls. For example, an attacker might compromise a user’s credentials to gain access, but network security tools can still detect unusual network behavior that suggests the account is being misused. This insight into network patterns provides a complementary layer of defense, ensuring that even if identity is compromised, the organization retains visibility and can respond to the threat.
5. Protecting Data-in-Transit
While identity security focuses on who can access systems, network security plays a critical role in protecting data as it moves between different points—whether between users and applications, or between applications themselves. Protecting data in transit is a core function of network security, often accomplished through encryption protocols such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS), which help ensure the confidentiality and integrity of data as it moves across networks.
For example, financial institutions rely on network security protocols to secure sensitive transaction data as it moves between users and banking systems. Even with strong identity controls in place, ensuring that this data is encrypted and protected from interception is vital for maintaining data integrity. Similarly, organizations using cloud services can benefit from network-level encryption to protect data as it traverses the public internet or shared cloud infrastructure.
In many cases, network-based security solutions such as Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) integrate encryption, network segmentation, and monitoring to protect data flows in hybrid or cloud environments. These solutions help ensure that sensitive information remains secure, even as it moves between users, devices, and services across complex and distributed networks.
6. Internal Threats and Network Segmentation
Even within trusted environments, the risk of internal threats—whether from malicious insiders or compromised user accounts—remains significant. Network security provides vital protection against these threats by enabling organizations to segment their networks and limit the spread of attacks once they have gained a foothold. Network segmentation can restrict access to sensitive resources based on defined security policies, effectively containing potential breaches.
For example, a large organization might segment its network so that financial systems, HR data, and customer information are separated into distinct zones with limited access. Even if an attacker gains access to one part of the network, network segmentation ensures that they cannot easily move laterally to more sensitive areas without triggering alarms or requiring additional access permissions.
Furthermore, microsegmentation—a more granular form of network segmentation—can restrict access even within specific application environments, preventing unauthorized communication between different services or applications. This technique is particularly valuable in environments with high-value assets, such as healthcare or financial services, where attackers seek to exploit vulnerabilities in the network to move from one system to another.
Network security’s ability to enforce these segmentation policies, combined with continuous monitoring for suspicious activity, adds a critical layer of defense that identity-based security alone cannot provide.
In summary, while the rise of cloud-native environments and the growing importance of identity in security frameworks are reshaping cybersecurity strategies, network security continues to play a vital role. Both approaches offer unique strengths: identity security is crucial for controlling who accesses systems and data, particularly in distributed and remote work environments, while network security remains essential for defending against a wide range of attacks, protecting data in transit, and providing visibility into network behavior. Rather than identity replacing network security, the two are more likely to evolve together, forming a comprehensive security strategy that addresses both the human and network layers of cybersecurity.
The Role of Zero Trust and SASE in Bridging the Gap
Zero Trust Security
The Zero Trust security model has become a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity, reshaping how organizations think about access control, identity, and network security. Unlike traditional models that assume a trusted internal network, Zero Trust operates under the principle that no entity—whether inside or outside the network—should be trusted by default. Every user, device, and connection must be continuously authenticated, authorized, and validated.
At the heart of Zero Trust is identity. Instead of relying on the idea of a secure network perimeter, Zero Trust focuses on verifying the identity of every user and device, ensuring that only legitimate actors have access to the organization’s resources. This shift reflects the reality of modern cloud-based environments and hybrid work setups, where users frequently connect from different locations, devices, and networks. As a result, identity verification through mechanisms like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and role-based access control (RBAC) plays a central role in enforcing Zero Trust principles.
However, while identity is the linchpin of Zero Trust, network-level controls are still essential for fully securing systems and data. For example, microsegmentation—an advanced form of network segmentation—ensures that even within an organization’s internal network, access is tightly controlled. Microsegmentation creates small, isolated zones within the network, allowing organizations to enforce security policies at a more granular level. Even if a user has authenticated their identity, network-level controls can restrict their access to only the parts of the system they need to perform their tasks.
This combination of identity verification and network segmentation creates a robust security framework. For instance, an employee might authenticate their identity using MFA, but network controls through microsegmentation could prevent them from accessing sensitive financial systems unless they have explicit permissions. This layered approach reduces the risk of lateral movement within the network, limiting the damage in case of a breach.
Moreover, Zero Trust emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring of user behavior. Identity verification is not a one-time event; even after access is granted, the system continuously checks for unusual or suspicious activity, such as attempts to access data outside of a user’s role or abnormal traffic patterns. This monitoring relies on network-level tools like anomaly detection and deep packet inspection, highlighting how identity and network security work together in a Zero Trust model.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is another approach that merges networking and security, providing a comprehensive solution for modern, distributed organizations. As more businesses adopt cloud-native architectures and remote work policies, SASE has emerged as a key framework that combines network security with identity-based controls.
SASE integrates wide-area networking (WAN) capabilities with security functions such as firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), secure web gateways (SWG), and cloud access security brokers (CASB). At its core, SASE is designed to provide secure access to users, regardless of their location or the network they are connecting from. Identity plays a central role in SASE because the framework relies heavily on verifying users before granting access to corporate resources. However, it also incorporates network-level protections to ensure that data is secured as it moves across different cloud services and networks.
For example, in a SASE environment, an employee accessing a cloud-based application from a remote location would first authenticate their identity using an IAM solution integrated with SASE. Once authenticated, the SASE framework would apply network security policies, such as inspecting traffic for potential threats and ensuring that data-in-transit is encrypted. By combining identity verification with network security, SASE delivers a holistic security approach that protects both user access and data flow.
The strength of SASE lies in its ability to unify these traditionally separate functions. In the past, organizations would deploy separate tools for identity management, network security, and traffic optimization. SASE brings these components together under one framework, making it easier to manage and scale security as the organization grows. This unification is particularly important for businesses with distributed workforces or extensive use of cloud applications, where managing multiple security tools can become cumbersome and increase the risk of security gaps.
Overall, SASE bridges the gap between identity-centric security and traditional network controls, offering a solution that meets the needs of modern businesses by securing both users and data across diverse environments.
Will Identity Fully Replace Network Security?
Weighing the Debate
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, a key question has emerged: will identity eventually replace network security as the dominant cybersecurity model? While identity has undeniably taken center stage, particularly in cloud-native environments, the reality is more nuanced. Identity-based security and network security address different layers of an organization’s defense strategy, and it is unlikely that one will completely replace the other in the foreseeable future.
In cloud environments and hybrid work setups, identity has become crucial for managing access and securing user interactions with cloud services. Traditional network perimeters have largely dissolved, making it difficult to apply the same network-based controls that were once standard in on-premise environments. As a result, identity solutions—such as MFA, single sign-on (SSO), and Zero Trust—have become the primary mechanisms for securing access to cloud applications and data.
However, while identity is central in these modern contexts, network security still plays a vital role. Network-level controls are essential for managing traffic, protecting data-in-transit, and defending against network-based threats such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks and malware. These threats operate at the network layer and cannot be fully mitigated by identity-based solutions alone. For example, while an attacker might be blocked from accessing a system using stolen credentials (through strong identity controls), network security tools like firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS) can prevent that attacker from launching a DDoS attack or spreading malware across the network.
Hybrid Approaches
The future of cybersecurity is likely to involve hybrid approaches where both identity and network security coexist as part of a layered defense strategy. Identity-centric models, such as Zero Trust, may take precedence in cloud-native environments, focusing on securing user access and verifying identity at every step. However, network security controls will remain indispensable for addressing broader, network-level threats and ensuring that data is protected as it moves across the organization’s infrastructure.
For instance, in industries like finance and healthcare, where regulatory compliance and data protection are paramount, network security controls are essential for encrypting data-in-transit and ensuring secure communications between systems. Even if all access is controlled through identity-based mechanisms, network security tools will still be necessary to monitor traffic, detect anomalies, and prevent attacks that target the network itself.
The key is not choosing between identity and network security but understanding how the two can complement each other. Identity can be seen as the “front door” to an organization’s systems, ensuring that only legitimate users are allowed in. However, once inside, network security acts as an additional layer of protection, monitoring traffic, securing data flows, and preventing unauthorized actions. This layered approach—often referred to as defense-in-depth—provides a more robust security posture than relying on a single model.
To recap, while identity has become central in modern cybersecurity, particularly in cloud-native and hybrid work environments, it is unlikely to fully replace network security. The two approaches serve different purposes and address different types of threats. In the evolving cybersecurity landscape, hybrid models that integrate both identity-based and network-based controls are likely to dominate, providing a comprehensive defense strategy that can adapt to the complexities of modern organizations.
Conclusion
It may seem counterintuitive, but the future of cybersecurity might not be about choosing between identity and network security at all. Instead, it’s about recognizing that each addresses distinct yet overlapping layers of protection. Identity-based approaches provide precision in controlling who accesses systems, while network security ensures that data and traffic remain secure, even when identity controls are bypassed.
As organizations move deeper into the cloud, these two paradigms are evolving to coexist rather than compete. Identity is gaining prominence, but the need to secure data in transit and monitor network behavior remains essential. Hybrid strategies, integrating both, offer the flexibility and strength required in today’s dynamic threat landscape. Rather than replacement, what we’re witnessing is the rise of complementary, layered security models. The future lies in a synergistic approach that unifies the strengths of both identity and network security for a more resilient defense.