September 16, 2025

Guest Author: Robert Sawyer, Senior Director, Product Marketing, Delinea

Featured Partner: Kevin Converse, VP of Identity and Access Management,  Guidepoint Security

As organizations accelerate their shift toward cloud-first strategies, the complexities of safeguarding sensitive data and managing access rights are increasing. Identity and Access Management (IAM) is no longer a standalone consideration but now a critical component when designing a future-proof and unified cybersecurity strategy.  We sat down with Kevin Converse, VP of Identity and Access Management (IAM) at GuidePoint Security, to discuss why IAM is essential in defending against modern cyber threats and ensuring operational efficiency.

Jamie: Kevin, why is converging IAM and cloud essential for modernizing cloud security strategies? 

Kevin: Traditionally, cloud security and IAM are treated as separate entities. This treatment has created fragmented systems, inefficiencies, and increasing vulnerability. Cloud environments are dynamic in nature, so a unified framework is essential to combating sophisticated cyber threats and ensuring each access point and identity is secured across the infrastructure. This is why integration should be top of mind, at all times, when thinking about a true and robust cybersecurity program that protects you from internal threats as well as external. Some of the benefits of such integration include: 

• Enhanced Security Posture: Unified systems provide end-to-end visibility, ensuring robust defenses against external and internal threats.

• Operational Efficiency: Streamlined processes reduce complexity and enable faster, more effective threat detection and response.
• Cost Optimization: Integrated tools minimize redundancies and allow better allocation of financial and human resources.
• Improved User Experience: Secure, user-friendly access mechanisms promote compliance and productivity.

Jamie: Would you say most companies you work with are at the point where they optimize their security strategy or are more still getting started?

Kevin: Everyone has a security strategy. The real question is whether it is meeting their needs right now and enables growth? Their current strategy may work now, but what happens when you’re met with sudden industry disruption, regulation changes, and other technology innovations? 

I recommend assessing your cybersecurity strategy from every angle, and discovering your gaps. The place to start is with your foundations and tech stack. Do you have the right foundation and tools in place to keep you safe, grow with you, and adapt to changes quickly? 

Cloud security is no longer just about protecting infrastructure — it’s about ensuring that the right people have access to the right resources and that applications themselves are fortified against evolving threats. That’s why integrating cloud, AppSec and IAM is important. 

It’s also important to note that cloud integration isn’t just about technology—it’s also about leadership, culture, and strategic planning. A few steps to establish a strong foundation include:

• Leadership Advocacy: IAM as a strategic priority starts with leadership, who can allocate resources and foster a security-first mindset across teams.
• Capability Assessment: Evaluate current IAM tools for compatibility with cloud platforms, identify gaps, and prioritize strategic improvements.
• Strategic Roadmap: Develop a bespoke strategy and roadmap tailored to your organization’s cloud maturity and future scalability needs.
• Resource Allocation: Invest in team training and ensure alignment with modern IAM and cloud security best practices

Jamie: We’ve talked a lot about how being adaptable and agile are crucial to success in an ever-changing landscape. What does future-proofing your cybersecurity strategy really mean?

Kevin: As cloud environments evolve, so must your IAM strategy. Ensure scalability and adaptability by incorporating AI, automation, and Zero Trust architectures. Some of the most popular challenges  our clients ask us to support, include:

• AI-Driven Risk Assessments: Enable real-time adjustments to access rights based on user behavior and context.
• Zero Trust Architecture: Implement policies where access is verified continuously for all users and devices.
• Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM): Automate permission management to enforce the principle of least privilege

The integration of IAM with cloud security isn’t just a strategic advantage—it’s a necessity in today’s digital landscape. By embracing unified approaches, leveraging advanced tools like IAM, and collaborating with cybersecurity industry leaders like Delinea and GuidePoint Security, organizations can safeguard their data and assets against evolving threats and achieve operational excellence.

It’s time to future-proof your cybersecurity framework. Read more on the topic. If you’re ready to take the next step toward a more secure, agile, and resilient digital infrastructure, reach out.