In this episode of Identity at the Center, hosts Jeff and Jim dive into the details of the Shared Signals Framework (SSF) and Continuous Access Evaluation Profile (CAEP), with special guest Atul Tulshibagwale, the CTO of Signal. The trio discusses the complexities and applications of these identity security standards, recent adoption by major tech companies, and how they are transforming the approach towards identity and access management. Atul also shares exciting news about Signal's impending acquisition by CrowdStrike and reflects on a recent safari trip in Kenya. Tune in to learn about the evolution of identity security and the future of SSF and CAEP.



Connect with Atul: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tulshi/

Learn more about the Artificial Intelligence Identity Management Community Group: https://openid.net/cg/artificial-intelligence-identity-management-community-group/

Learn more about SSF and CAEP:

 * https://openid.net/how-authzen-and-shared-signals-caep-complement-each-other/
 * https://sgnl.ai/whitepaper/caep-best-practices/
 * https://caep.dev/
 * https://youtu.be/qakOw0g2mZ8?si=p8z9imn7x-HhLdcV
 * https://www.youtube.com/live/e64YiAmGmf4?si=QPKDg2Jm9oSZmbhZ
 * http://sharedsignals.guide/



Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com



Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Episode Milestone

00:17 Challenges with Installing Molt Bot

02:32 MoltBook and AI Agents

03:21 Jim's Perspective on AI Assistants

09:24 Conferences and Networking

10:10 Introduction to Shared Signals and CAEP

13:03 CrowdStrike Acquisition of Signal

14:03 AI Identity Management Community

16:59 Shared Signals Framework and CAEP Explained

30:03 Final Version of CAEP and Shared Signals Released

30:35 Adoption by Major Technology Providers

32:49 Benefits of Implementing Shared Signals

36:32 Future of SSF and CAEP

40:51 Certification Program for Shared Signals

52:48 Real-World Safari Adventure

01:00:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts



Keywords:

IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Atul Tulshibagwale, Shared Signals Framework, SSF, CAEP, Continuous Access Evaluation Profile, OpenID Foundation, CrowdStrike, SGNL AI Identity, Agentic Identity, AuthZEN, Risk, Identity Security, IAM, Podcast

#402 - An Update on SSF and CAEP with Atul Tulshibagwale

This episode is sponsored by PlainID. Visit plainid.com/idac [http://plainid.com/idac] to learn more.

In this sponsored episode, Jim McDonald and Jeff Steadman talk with Gal Helemski, CTO and co-founder of PlainID, about the evolving landscape of authorization. The conversation covers the transition from traditional roles and attributes to a modern policy-based access control (PBAC) approach. Gal explains how PlainID helps organizations centralize authorization logic, improve security posture, and simplify the management of access across complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments. The discussion also touches on the importance of visibility into who has access to what and the role of standards like Cedar and Rego in the future of authorization.



Connect with Gal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gal-helemski-b9542231/Learn more about PlainID: plainid.com/idac [http://plainid.com/idac]

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at idacpodcast.com [http://idacpodcast.com]



Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to the Sponsor Spotlight

02:15 Meet Gal Helemski from PlainID

05:30 The shift from RBAC to PBAC

10:45 Challenges with traditional authorization methods

15:20 How PlainID centralizes authorization logic

22:10 Integrating with existing identity providers

28:45 The role of visibility and auditing in authorization

35:30 Discussion on authorization standards: Cedar and Rego

42:15 Future trends in identity and access management

50:00 Final thoughts and where to learn more



Keywords:

IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, PlainID, Authorization, Policy-Based Access Control, PBAC, RBAC, Cybersecurity, IAM, Access Management, Gal Helemski, Identity Security

#401 - Sponsor Spotlight - PlainID

In this milestone episode of Identity at the Center, Jeff and Jim celebrate 400 episodes and reflect on their journey over the past six and a half years. They discuss the podcast’s evolution, from its early days focusing on strategy and framework to recent themes like cloud identity, governance, and AI-driven technologies. Jim shares his New Year's resolution of writing a book about identity, blending practitioner stories with educational elements, and utilizing AI tools. The duo also highlights significant trends in identity and access management, including frictionless authentication and privilege access management. They look forward to the future of identity within an AI-driven landscape, urging listeners to adapt to technological advancements. Tune in for insights, reflections, and their plans for continuing to grow the podcast.



Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com



Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and Milestone Celebration00:44 Reflecting on the Podcast Journey01:27 Jim's New Year's Resolution: Writing a Book05:16 Using AI in the Writing Process09:34 Podcast Growth and Listener Support13:08 Remembering Luis Almeida16:59 Conference Highlights and Discount Codes19:05 Lessons Learned from Podcasting29:01 The Evolution of the Podcast36:01 Pandemic Disruptions and Podcast Challenges36:30 Funny Moments and Swearing on the Show37:24 Identity Management Trends in 202039:20 Cloud Identity and Certifications in 202141:54 Governance and Compliance in 202244:23 Security Convergence and Milestones in 202351:07 Privilege Access Management in 202455:15 Frictionless Authentication in 202558:20 AI and the Future of Identity in 202601:09:00 Reflections and Gratitude



Keywords:

IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, IAM, podcast, cybersecurity, digital identity, AI, agentic identity, PAM, IGA, cloud security, passkeys, professional development, IDPro, identity governance

#400 - Celebrating 400 episodes of IDAC

Jim McDonald is joined by Jeff Margolies, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Saviynt, to discuss the intersection of artificial intelligence and identity security. Jeff shares his decades of experience in the industry, from building the IAM practice at Accenture to his current leadership role at Saviynt. The conversation covers how AI is making manually intensive identity tasks more efficient, the emergence of Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM), and the critical need to govern identities for AI agents. Jeff also provides his perspective on the future of the identity practitioner and why he remains an optimist in a rapidly changing technological landscape.



Connect with Jeff Margolies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmargolies/



Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com



Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction and Gartner Identity Conference Recap

00:02:11 - Jeff Margolies' Career Journey in Identity and Security

00:04:36 - Returning to Identity and Joining Saviynt

00:06:13 - How AI is Impacting Identity Security and Governance

00:09:56 - The Future of Identity Services in an AI World

00:13:58 - Will AI Disrupt the SaaS Model for Identity?

00:19:50 - The Impact of AI on the Identity Practitioner Job Market

00:26:16 - Identity for AI: Governing Agents and Delegated Authority

00:32:00 - Combating Deepfakes and Proving What is Real

00:34:40 - The Rise of Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM)

00:41:46 - Comparing Posture Management and ITDR

00:44:17 - Advice for CISOs: Why Posture Should Come First

00:49:35 - The Secret to Saviynt's Success and Future Outlook

00:52:19 - Lighter Note: Why Jeff Chose a Tesla for His Daughter



Keywords:

IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Jeff Margolies, Saviynt, IAM, Identity and Access Management, AI, Artificial Intelligence, ISPM, ITDR, Cybersecurity, Identity Governance, SaaS, IGA

#399 - Navigating Identity Security in the Age of AI with Jeff Margolies

In this episode, Jim McDonald welcomes back Martin Kuppinger, Principal Analyst at KuppingerCole, to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of identity in 2026. With Jeff Steadman away, Jim and Martin dive deep into the intellectual challenges posed by AI agents and the limitations of traditional non-human identity frameworks. Martin explains why organizations are feeling a sense of disillusionment with AI and how a capability-based identity fabric approach can help manage the complexity. They also explore the balance between security and business enablement, the rise of workload identities, and what to expect at the upcoming European Identity and Cloud Conference (EIC) in Berlin.



Connect with Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinkuppinger/

KuppingerCole: https://www.kuppingercole.com

European Identity and Cloud Conference (EIC) (don’t forget to use our discount code idac25mko): https://www.kuppingercole.com/events/eic2026



Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com



Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome back to 2026 and EIC preparations

02:48 - The shift from future potential to current AI agent challenges

03:12 - Understanding AI disillusionment and the lack of control in regulated industries

05:19 - Security as a business enabler vs progress prevention

09:55 - Why AI agents should not be classified simply as non-human identities

11:43 - Complex relationships between humans, agents, and delegated tasks

15:17 - Self-service identity for knowledge workers and AI productivity

18:40 - The risks of decentralized agent creation and "shadow" AI

21:58 - How AI is being baked into identity products beyond role mining

26:55 - Using usage data to reduce over-entitlements

34:10 - The Identity Fabric: A capability-based approach to IAM

40:33 - Vendor rationalization and the flexibility of the fabric

47:19 - Previewing EIC 2026 topics: Wallet initiatives and consent

52:44 - Final advice: Curing symptoms vs addressing causes



Keywords:

IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Martin Kuppinger, KuppingerCole, IAM, AI Agents, Identity Fabric, EIC 2026, Non-Human Identity, Workload Identity, ITDR, IGA, Cybersecurity

#398 - Solving the AI Identity Challenge with Martin Kuppinger

Jeff Steadman is joined by RSM colleagues Rich Servillas and Charles John to explore the critical intersection of identity access management, operational resilience, and disaster recovery. Rich, a director from the cyber response group, shares insights from the front lines of ransomware and cloud intrusions, while Chuck, director of operational resilience, discusses the importance of business continuity planning. The conversation covers the true impact of security incidents on brand reputation and operations, the necessity of out-of-band communication, and why identity is often the first thing challenged and the last thing trusted during a crisis. The guests also provide practical advice for IAM professionals on reducing blast radius through standing privilege reduction and robust logging.



Connect with Rich: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-servillas-041a0551/

Connect with Chuck: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjohn/



Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/



Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com



Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction and 2026 conference outlook

00:01:44 - Introducing guests Rich and Chuck from RSM

00:03:56 - Defining operational resilience and business continuity

00:06:22 - When and how to start the planning process

00:09:55 - Chuck's background in public health and emergency management

00:12:44 - The broad impact of incidents on brand and operations

00:16:45 - Key elements every recovery plan must include

00:19:14 - Defining incident severity and matrixes

00:21:52 - Identity as the new perimeter and its operational dependencies

00:24:57 - Why hackers log in rather than break in

00:26:46 - The first hours of a cyber incident response

00:29:35 - Current threat trends and the role of AI

00:31:29 - Updating plans through post-action debriefs

00:34:31 - Cyber insurance gaps and contractual SLAs

00:40:24 - Advice for identity professionals on reducing blast radius

00:46:10 - Personal milestones and looking forward to 2026



Keywords:

IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, IAM, Cybersecurity, Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Operational Resilience, RSM, Incident Response, Ransomware, Cyber Insurance, Identity Governance

#397 - RSM & IDAC Present - The Intersection of Resiliency, Recovery, and IAM

Jeff and Jim are joined by Gartner Analyst Rebecca Archambault for a special live edition of the podcast recorded at the Gartner Identity & Access Management Summit in Grapevine, Texas on December 10, 2025. Instead of a traditional interview, the trio hosts "Majority Rules," an interactive game show where the live audience votes on pressing and fun identity topics. Listen in to hear the pulse of the room on everything from the biggest buzzwords of the year and the true purpose of analyst 1:1 sessions, to the best strategies for navigating the vendor hall. The group explores audience preferences on IGA, AI risks, non-human identities, and the most common lies told in sales cycles. It is a fun, lighthearted look at what identity professionals are actually thinking about the current state of the industry.



Connect with Rebecca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-becky-archambault-4b4285111/

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com



Chapter Timestamps

00:00 - Intro and Game Rules

02:40 - First Question: Favorite Podcast

03:15 - Networking vs. Education

04:08 - Buzzword of the Year: Agentic Identity

04:47 - User Behavior Analytics Usage

05:37 - Expo Hall Memories and Socks

06:20 - The Twist: Battle Royale Rules

06:45 - The True Purpose of Analyst 1:1s

07:55 - Mitigating Agentic AI Risks

08:55 - Strategies for the Vendor Hall

09:37 - The Future of IGA

10:15 - Favorite Gartner Reports

11:05 - Benefits of Just-in-Time Access

11:45 - AI in Authentication Priorities

12:35 - Securing Non-Human Identities

13:05 - Keys to Successful B2B IAM 13:40 - The Hardest Part of Role Mining

14:15 - PAM for AI Agents

14:50 - Keynote Takeaways

15:40 - Measuring IAM Success

16:20 - Defining ITDR

17:05 - The Biggest Lie in IAM Sales

17:35 - Least Favorite Gartner Report

18:10 - Audit Preparation Preferences

18:45 - Common Lies in the Vendor Hall

19:15 - The Most Dangerous Access Right

19:35 - Winner Announcement and Outro



Keywords

IAM, identity management, cybersecurity, Gartner IAM Summit, Majority Rules, game show, Rebecca Archambault, IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Agentic Identity, ITDR, non-human identity, role mining, zero standing privileges

#396 - Gartner IAM Summit - Majority Rules

#395 - Sponsor Spotlight - Redblock



This episode is sponsored by Redblock. Visit redblock.ai/idac to learn more.



Jeff and Jim come to you live from the Gartner IAM Summit in Grapevine, Texas, for a special Sponsor Spotlight with Redblock. They sit down with CEO Indus Khaitan to discuss how Redblock uses AI and computer vision to solve the "last mile" problem in identity management: disconnected applications.



Indus explains how Redblock acts as an "agentic" layer, using screen recordings to learn administrative tasks for apps that lack APIs. The conversation covers the origin of the company name, the urgency of securing the "long tail" of applications, and how they build trust and guardrails around AI execution. They also discuss the "DoorDash" analogy for identity fulfillment and wrap up with a fun chat about Indus's passion for flying planes.



Connect with Indus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaitan/



Learn more: redblock.ai/idac



Connect with us on LinkedIn:



Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/



Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/



Visit the show on the web at [idacpodcast.com](http://idacpodcast.com)



Timestamps

00:00 Introduction from Gartner IAM Summit

00:46 Guest Introduction: Indus Khaitan of Redblock

01:40 Indus's Journey into Identity

02:41 The Origin of the Name "Redblock"

04:20 The Underserved Market: Services vs. Software

07:34 The Urgency of Securing Disconnected Apps

09:19 Why Traditional IGA and PAM Aren't Enough

11:35 The DoorDash Analogy: Where Redblock Fits

14:30 What Makes Redblock Unique? (Agentic Process Automation)

16:15 Trusting AI with Security Tasks

18:50 Onboarding Apps via Video Recording

21:23 Deployment: Running Air-Gapped on Customer Cloud

22:17 Handling UI Changes and "Full Self-Driving" Analogy

25:40 Integration with SailPoint and Governance Tools

27:13 Speed of Integration: Days vs. Years

32:00 How the "Headless Browser" Works

33:35 Limitations: Web Apps vs. Thick Clients

36:58 Redblock's 2025 Milestones and Future Outlook

39:48 Call to Action: Solving Disconnected Apps

40:27 Impressions of the Gartner IAM Summit

44:26 Are We in an AI Bubble?

46:46 Indus's Hobby: Flying Planes



Keywords

IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Redblock, Indus Khaitan, AI, Artificial Intelligence, IAM, Identity and Access Management, Disconnected Apps, Agentic AI, Computer Vision, Gartner IAM Summit, RPA, IGA, Cybersecurity

#395 - Sponsor Spotlight - Redblock

We are live from the Gartner IAM Summit 2025 in Grapevine, Texas! In this episode, we welcome back Sarah Clark, now the Chief Product Officer and GM of North America at Hopae. Sarah shares her journey from Mastercard to buying rainforests in Costa Rica and rescuing dogs, before diving deep into the world of digital identity infrastructure. We discuss connecting government-issued digital IDs with the private sector to combat fraud and improve user experiences. Sarah breaks down the differences in global adoption, highlighting why the EU is leading the charge with upcoming mandates and how countries like Brazil and India are scaling their programs. We also explore the state of mobile driver's licenses in the US, the potential for age verification and workforce management use cases, and whether the US can catch up to the rest of the world. Plus, we wrap up with a heartfelt conversation about dog rescue and the challenges of pet adoption.



Connect with Sarah https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmclark/



Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com



Timestamps

00:00:00 - Intro: Live from Gartner IAM Summit 2025

00:01:25 - Introducing Sarah Clark and her journey to Hopae

00:03:00 - What is Hopae and the vision for digital identity infrastructure?

00:04:19 - Why governments are moving toward digital IDs (186 countries!)

00:05:32 - Solving the fraud crisis with government-issued credentials

00:07:05 - The benefits: Security, efficiency, and inclusion

00:08:52 - Global adoption curves: India, Philippines, and Brazil

00:10:48 - The EU vs. US: Who is winning the digital ID race?

00:14:04 - eIDAS 2.0 mandates and the intermediary role

00:17:03 - Future trends: Age verification, Fintech, and stablecoins

00:19:54 - Workforce management and "Know Your Employee"

00:21:28 - Sarah's passion project: Rainforest preservation and dog rescue

00:25:35 - Closing thoughts on the future of identity



Keywords

IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Sarah Clark, Hope, Digital Identity, Digital Wallets, Mobile Driver's License, mDL, eIDAS 2.0, Identity Verification, Fraud Prevention, KYC, Verifiable Credentials, Gartner IAM Summit, Digital Infrastructure, Biometrics, Age Verification

#394 - How Digital ID Can Solve the Fraud Crisis with Sarah Clark

Join Jeff, Jim, and special guest Ian Glazer at the Gartner IAM Summit 2025 as they discuss the Identity and Access Management (IAM) industry, the evolution of IAM practices, and the exciting new concepts like Continuous Identity. They delve into topics such as the impact of AI, shared signals framework, and the struggles and triumphs of identity practitioners. Plus, hear about the Digital Identity Advancement Foundation’s mission and enjoy some lighter moments with tales of 'chuckles' and supper clubs. Don't miss this insightful and entertaining episode of the Identity at the Center podcast.



Connect with Ian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iglazer/



Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com



Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Casual Banter

00:50 Conference Highlights and Podcast Milestones

03:00 Introducing Ian Glazer

05:43 Digital Identity Advancement Foundation (DIF)

08:09 Challenges in Identity Governance and Administration (IGA)

13:28 Continuous Identity: A Paradigm Shift

22:31 Real-World Applications and Organizational Impact

31:51 Realistic Security Measures

32:28 Maturity of Identity and Access Management

34:54 Skills and Challenges in IAM

36:44 Metrics and Outcomes in IAM

40:23 Identity Practitioner Skills

41:19 Solving Problems with AI

46:21 Continuous Identity and Future Trends

48:45 Identity Salon and Community

54:19 Wrapping Up and Future Events



Keywords

Ian Glazer, Continuous Identity, Shared Signals Framework, CAEP, Gartner IAM Summit, Identity Security, Joiner Mover Leaver, IGA, Access Certification, Identity Salon, IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, IAM, Cybersecurity, Non-Human Identity, Identity Practitioner, DIAF

#393 - Breaking the Tyranny of Joiner, Mover, Leaver with Ian Glazer

Identity at the Center is a weekly podcast all about identity security in the context of identity and access management (IAM). With decades of real-world IAM experience, hosts Jim McDonald and Jeff Steadman bring you conversations with news, topics, and guests from the identity management industry. Do you know who has access to what? Want to join the conversation? Visit IdentityAtTheCenter.com or email us at questions@identityatthecenter.com

Jeff Steadman

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