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HIPAA Compliance Checklist for 2025
Quick question: do you actually know every app your employees are accessing right now?
Employees don't use only IT-approved applications. A sales employee may create an account with a personal email, developers may use an AI tool, or a contractor may retain access after a project ends.
Modern identity security solutions therefore requires more than authenticating users. Teams need visibility into who has access, which applications they can access, what permissions they hold, and whether that access is still necessary.
This guide covers 10 identity security platforms in 2026, comparing their key capabilities, use cases, and approaches to identity and access management beyond traditional SSO.
1. What is Identity Security?
Identity security is the practice of protecting digital identities, controlling access to applications and systems, and preventing unauthorized use of accounts and permissions.
It combines identity management, access controls, authentication, authorization, and continuous monitoring to protect users, applications, and sensitive resources.
Identity security platforms can help organizations manage:
- User identities: Employees, contractors, partners, and other users with organizational access.
- Application access: Which applications and services each identity can access.
- Permissions: The level of access granted to users and accounts.
- Privileged identities: Accounts with elevated access to sensitive systems or data.
- Access activity: Changes, unusual behavior, and potentially risky access patterns.
The goal of identity security solutions is to ensure that the right identities have the right access at the right time while reducing unnecessary permissions and identity-related security risks.
2. What Is an Identity Security Platform and What Should It Actually Do?
Identity security platforms are software solutions that combine identity management, access control, identity governance, and threat detection to protect human and machine identities across cloud and on-premises environments.
Unlike fragmented tools focused only on authentication or governance, Identity Security Platforms provide full visibility and real-time protection against identity-based threats.
Here's what Identity Security Platforms deliver:
- Identity discovery: every user, every app, every access point, including the unapproved ones
- Lifecycle management: automated provisioning on day one, updates on role change, immediate deprovisioning on exit
- Access governance: continuous reviews with automated flagging of risky or excessive permissions
- Privileged access management: extra controls and session monitoring for admin and high-privilege accounts
- Threat detection: spotting anomalous behavior, unusual login patterns, and identity-based attacks in real time
- Compliance evidence: audit-ready access logs and certification records generated automatically, not manually
If an identity security software only does two or three of these, it's a point solution. Not an identity security platform.
Worth a Read: The Identity Drift Crisis: Why Your Access Controls Age Faster Than Your Teams
3. What are the Best Identity Security Platform Tools for SSO and MFA
The best identity security platforms for SSO and MFA combine single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, access management, identity governance, and security monitoring.
These platforms help organizations authenticate users while also controlling application access, managing permissions, and detecting identity-related threats. Here are the top 10 unified identity security platforms:
A. CloudEagle.ai
CloudEagle.ai is the only solution on this list that covers SaaS security & compliance, AI governance, identity governance, spend management, and SaaS procurement in a single platform.
Where most Identity Security Platforms on this list solve one or two of those problems, CloudEagle.ao governs the full estate, with 500+ direct integrations, 30-minute onboarding, and customers typically recovering 10-30% of annual SaaS spend within the first 90 days.
It's built for mid-market and enterprise teams that have outgrown point solutions and need one platform to replace several.
When RingCentral connected CloudEagle.ai, automated license reclamation workflows identified and recovered 932 unused licenses instantly.
CloudEagle.ai also saved $2.5M and delivering 3X ROI through license harvesting, cost benchmarking, and improved vendor negotiations.
Key Features:
- Shadow AI and Shadow IT Discovery: Four-layer shadow AI and shadow IT detection across browser, network, endpoint, and finance, including personal AI accounts on sanctioned domains.
- GenAI Risk Scores: Every AI tool and vendor scored for GenAI automatically for data residency, training data use, and security posture via Netskope.
- Identity Governance: Automate access provisioning, reviews, and deprovisioning to ensure users have the right access at the right time.
- SaaS Security & Compliance: Discover and continuously govern SaaS and AI apps, risky access, shadow IT, and compliance gaps from one platform.
- Non-Human Identity Management: Discover, govern, and secure non-human identities such as service accounts, AI agents, and machine identities across your environment.
- AI Policy Enforcement: Enforce AI usage policies at the point of access to prevent unauthorized AI use and protect sensitive data
- JML Automation: Automated provisioning and deprovisioning across all connected applications triggered by HRIS lifecycle events.
- Continuous Access Reviews: AI-driven, event-triggered app access reviews with automated reviewer assignment and audit-ready compliance logs.
- License Management and Harvesting: Feature-level dormancy detection with configurable thresholds and automated reclaim workflows.
- SaaS Spend Intelligence: Per-user, per-application spend reporting with cost-per-active-user visibility and department-level allocation.
- AI Token Consumption Tracking: Per-user, per-model token consumption across Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, and Gemini with run-rate forecasting.
- Procurement Workflows and Renewal Management: Contract metadata extraction, 90-day renewal alerts, and Slack-native approval workflows.
- Price Benchmarking and Buying Guides: SaaSMap benchmarking database covering pricing data across thousands of vendors for renewal negotiations.
- CloudEagle MCP Server: Query SaaS, AI, and identity data in natural language directly from inside Claude or any MCP-compatible AI tool.
Strengths:
4.7/5 on G2 from verified reviews. Reviewers consistently highlight automation, ease of use, and cost savings. Strongest all-in-one coverage on this list with 30-minute onboarding.
Limitations:
The feature depth can feel overwhelming during initial setup. Better suited for mid-market and enterprise teams managing 50+ applications than smaller environments
Pricing:
Book a personalized demo with the teams to get a custom quote.
Your IDP Has Blind Spots. We'll Show You Exactly Where.
B. CrowdStrike Falcon Identity Protection
CrowdStrike brings its threat intelligence muscle into the identity space. Built for organizations where stopping active attacks, not just managing access, is the primary identity security concern.
Features:
- Detects identity-based attacks like credential stuffing, pass-the-hash, and lateral movement in real time
- Monitors Active Directory and Azure AD for misconfigurations and anomalous behavior
- Enforces risk-based MFA and conditional access policies
- Integrates natively with CrowdStrike's broader Falcon platform for unified threat response
- Behavioral analytics to detect insider threats and compromised accounts
Best for: Enterprises that need real-time identity threat detection tightly integrated with endpoint security.
Pricing: Part of the CrowdStrike Falcon platform. Pricing on request based on endpoints and modules.
C. SailPoint
One of the most established names in identity security software: purpose-built for governance at enterprise scale with deep compliance and audit capabilities.
Features:
- AI-driven identity governance across cloud, on-premise, and hybrid environments
- Automated access request, approval, and certification workflows
- Role management and separation of duties enforcement
- Privileged access governance integrated with PAM tools
- Compliance reporting for SOX, HIPAA, GDPR, and other frameworks
Best for: Large enterprises with complex identity governance and compliance requirements.
Pricing: Enterprise pricing on request. Typically starts at $100,000+/year for large deployments.
D. Okta
The go-to identity platform for cloud-first enterprises. Its massive integration library and developer-friendly approach make it one of the most widely deployed identity security platforms globally.
Features:
- Single sign-on and MFA across thousands of app integrations
- Lifecycle management with automated provisioning and deprovisioning
- Adaptive access policies based on user risk, device, and location
- Customer identity (CIAM) capabilities for external-facing applications
- Okta Identity Governance for access reviews and entitlement management
Best for: Cloud-first enterprises needing a flexible, integration-rich identity foundation.
Pricing: Workforce Identity starts at around $2/user/month for basic SSO. Governance and advanced features are priced separately.
E. CyberArk
The market leader in privileged access management. The go-to choice when your biggest identity risk is admin accounts, service accounts, and high-privilege users being compromised.
Features:
- Privileged access management with credential vaulting and session isolation
- Secrets management for DevOps pipelines and machine identities
- Endpoint privilege management to remove unnecessary local admin rights
- Identity threat detection and response for privileged account abuse
- Cloud entitlement management across AWS, Azure, and GCP
Best for: Enterprises where privileged access management and securing high-value accounts are the top priority.
Pricing: Enterprise pricing on request. Typically $50,000+/year depending on modules and user count.
F. Microsoft Entra ID
The identity backbone for millions of organizations worldwide. If your environment is Microsoft-heavy, it's often the default starting point for identity security tools for enterprises.
Features:
- SSO and MFA across Microsoft and third-party apps
- Conditional access policies based on user, device, and location risk
- Privileged Identity Management for just-in-time admin access
- Identity Protection with risk-based sign-in and user risk policies
- Entra ID Governance for access reviews and entitlement management
Best for: Enterprises already standardized on Microsoft 365 and Azure.
Pricing: Included in Microsoft 365 plans. Entra ID P1 at $6/user/month. P2 at $9/user/month.
G. Saviynt
Brings identity governance and PAM together in a unified, cloud-native platform: addressing the fragmentation that plagues organizations running separate IGA and PAM tools.
Features:
- Identity governance with automated access reviews and certifications
- Privileged access management with session recording and credential vaulting
- Application access governance for SAP, Salesforce, and other enterprise apps
- Cloud security and entitlement management across multi-cloud environments
- AI-powered risk scoring and anomaly detection
Best for: Enterprises needing converged identity governance and privileged access in a single cloud-native platform.
Pricing: Enterprise pricing on request. Typically starts around $150,000/year for large deployments.
H. Ping Identity
Built for organizations with complex, heterogeneous environments: legacy systems, multiple clouds, and a need for deep customization in how identity is managed and enforced.
Features:
- SSO and MFA with support for legacy and modern authentication standards
- Adaptive authentication with risk-based access policies
- API security and developer identity management
- Customer identity management at enterprise scale
- Zero Trust enforcement integrated with device posture and browser context
Best for: Enterprises needing flexible, standards-based identity across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Pricing: Modular pricing. Starts around $20,000/year. Enterprise contracts are negotiated directly.
I. Reco
A newer entrant focused specifically on identity risks inside SaaS applications: filling the gap that traditional IAM tools leave around what users are actually doing inside apps like Google Workspace, Salesforce, and GitHub.
Features:
- Discovers all SaaS apps and maps user identities and access across them
- Detects identity threats and anomalous behavior inside SaaS applications
- Identifies over-privileged users, misconfigured sharing, and sensitive data exposure
- SaaS security posture management (SSPM) with remediation workflows
- Integrates with SIEM and SOAR tools for automated response
Best for: Security teams that need SaaS-specific identity threat detection and access risk visibility.
Pricing: Pricing on request. Scales based on the number of SaaS apps and users monitored.
J. Proofpoint Identity Threat Defense
Built around one core idea: attackers exploit identity misconfigurations to move laterally and escalate privileges. This platform finds and fixes those misconfigurations before they're exploited.
Features:
- Discovers identity risks across Active Directory and Azure AD: misconfigurations, shadow admins, stale credentials
- Detects active identity attacks, including credential theft and lateral movement
- Attack path analysis showing how attackers could escalate from any user
- Remediates identity risks with automated or guided workflows
- Integrates with endpoint and email security for full attack chain visibility
Best for: Enterprises focused on stopping identity-based attacks before they become breaches.
Pricing: Enterprise pricing on request.
5. How to Select the Right Identity Security Platform?
Select an identity security platform based on your organization's identity environment, access requirements, security controls, integrations, automation needs, and compliance obligations.
The right identity security platforms should provide visibility across users and machine identities while helping security teams manage permissions, detect threats, and automate identity lifecycle processes.
A. Assess Your Identity Environment
Identify the human and non-human identities your organization needs to secure. Include employees, contractors, service accounts, privileged users, applications, and machine identities across cloud, SaaS, and on-premises environments.
B. Evaluate Access and Identity Governance
Identity security platforms should help you discover applications, manage permissions, conduct access reviews, and identify excessive or outdated access. The platform should support role-based access and least-privilege controls where appropriate.
C. Check SSO and MFA Capabilities
Verify that the identity security platform supports the authentication methods your organization uses, including SSO and MFA. Consider adaptive authentication and risk-based access controls if your environment requires additional protection.
D. Review Threat Detection and Response
Evaluate how the identity security platform detects suspicious authentication, credential misuse, privilege escalation, and anomalous identity activity. Check whether alerts can trigger automated remediation or integrate with your existing security tools.
E. Verify Compliance and Reporting Capabilities
Choose an SSO identity provider that can maintain access records, generate audit evidence, support compliance reporting, and demonstrate how permissions are managed. These capabilities can simplify audits and help security teams identify control gaps.
6. Conclusion
Identity security in 2026 isn't about picking a tool. It's about picking an architecture.
CrowdStrike leads in threat detection. CyberArk leads on privileged access. SailPoint and Saviynt lead on governance at scale. Okta and Microsoft Entra ID lead on breadth and integration. Reco and Proofpoint go deep on SaaS-specific identity risks.
And CloudEagle.ai leads on the problem most of them don't fully solve: governing every app, every user, and every access point across the modern SaaS-heavy enterprise, including the ones you don't know about yet.
The right platform depends on where your biggest identity risk actually lives. Start there.
7. FAQs
1. Doesn't your identity provider already govern every app employees use?
CloudEagle.ai governs the apps your identity provider can't reach. It discovers every SaaS and AI tool employees access, including unsanctioned apps and shadow AI, and builds one inventory of apps, users, and access paths across both SSO and non-SSO environments.
2. Don't access reviews always end in rubber-stamping and reviewer fatigue?
CloudEagle.ai makes access reviews focused instead of exhausting. AI-driven risk detection flags stale permissions, excessive access, and risky privileges, so reviewers act on what matters from one dashboard. SOC 2 access reviews are completed up to 80% faster, and ICEYE used it to end reviewer fatigue.
3. Isn't offboarding still a ticket someone has to action manually?
CloudEagle.ai automates offboarding across every application. Access is revoked automatically when employees leave or change roles, and granted instantly at onboarding. This reduces tracking errors during provisioning and role transitions by up to 70%.
4. Can't unnecessary admin rights pile up without anyone noticing?
CloudEagle.ai continuously monitors privileged roles and flags accounts with admin access they don't need. Security teams can remove excessive privileges quickly, before an overprivileged account becomes an attack path. It's one of the most common causes of identity-based breaches, caught early.
5. Won't employees keep bypassing IT because getting access takes too long?
CloudEagle.ai gives employees a faster, approved route instead. Its self-service app catalog lets people request applications with built-in approval workflows. Employees get what they need quickly, while IT and security keep governance in place and reduce ticket backlogs.
Your IDP Has Blind Spots. We'll Show You Exactly Where.
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