ITDR & Zero Trust: Detecting and Automatically Mitigating Identity-Based Threats

Identities as the prime attack vector in hybrid IT

Today, identities are the most critical attack vector in hybrid IT environments. Whether through compromised credentials, misuse of privileged roles or lateral movement despite multi-factor authentication, modern attackers consistently target identity structures because they can hide there most effectively. Although traditional IAM and IGA systems provide a solid basis for access management, recertification and governance, they often fail to detect dynamic attack indicators quickly enough. This is precisely where Identity Threat Detection & Response (ITDR) comes in.

ITDR: a new protection layer within IAM

ITDR extends existing IAM architectures by providing a continuous security and analytics layer. Unlike traditional control mechanisms, which focus on static policies, ITDR observes identity behaviour, authentication anomalies, unusual privilege usage and suspicious activity patterns across systems.

This additional layer is crucial, as modern identity attacks are multi-stage by nature — what begins as a seemingly harmless login can escalate into privilege abuse at a later stage. ITDR correlates events across logs, identity stores, directory services and cloud platforms, detecting threats before damage can be done. In this way, ITDR acts as a security sensor within IAM, providing the contextual awareness that many conventional tools lack.

Zero Trust and ITDR: the perfect pair for true cyber resilience.

Zero Trust is based on the principle of never trusting and always verifying. However, Zero Trust itself is not a product, but rather a dynamic control model. Its effectiveness depends on how accurately risks can be assessed in real time.

ITDR provides this ongoing risk intelligence, offering precision, context and continuity. Together, they form a comprehensive framework.

• Zero Trust defines the underlying principles (least privilege, continuous verification and microsegmentation).
• IAM implements these principles organisationally and technically (roles, policies and access models).
• ITDR monitors and evaluates real identity behaviour, continuously verifying legitimacy.

Consequently, Zero Trust gains the sensory component it requires to make adaptive, evidence-based decisions. For instance, an unusual login location combined with unexpected access to a privileged system would instantly raise the risk score, triggering an automatic response.

Automated responses and adaptive access control

ITDR is not just an analytical tool; it is also an active response engine. When integrated into identity and access management (IAM) and security workflows, it can automatically initiate defensive measures.

• Adaptive authentication: When the risk score increases, a second factor or stronger authentication method is required automatically.
• Controlled access restriction: Access to sensitive resources can be temporarily restricted when anomalies are detected.
• Immediate isolation of compromised identities: Privileged sessions are terminated, tokens are invalidated and accounts are automatically locked.
• Forensic data forwarding: ITDR insights enrich SIEM and SOAR systems, providing a comprehensive overview of incidents and triggering further automated defences.

For organisations, this means that Zero Trust becomes operational rather than merely conceptual. The security architecture responds in real time without manual intervention and protects identities even when traditional controls fail.