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Authentic Talks

Authentic Talks

Written by: HID Authentication Experts
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Authentic Talks is designed to be a raw, unfiltered space where identity professionals — from analysts to CISOs — speak candidly about their journeys, challenges, and breakthroughs. This isn't polished marketing. It's real talk about what's working, what's broken, and what's next.2025 Economics
Episodes
  • New Tech, Old Problems: The Reality of Modern Identity & Authentication

    New Tech, Old Problems: The Reality of Modern Identity & Authentication
    Apr 15 2026

    How do you secure a world where humans, machines, and autonomous agents all need an identity?

    In Episode 5 of Authentic Talks, our host Arielle Slama sits down with Simon Moffatt, analyst, advisor, and author, to unpack the biggest identity and cybersecurity themes emerging from the RSA Conference, which Simon attended just a few weeks earlier.

    Drawing on firsthand insights from the event floor, Simon separates real identity trends from vendor hype, explaining what actually matters for modern IAM and authentication strategy.

    With over 25 years in identity, Simon brings a pragmatic, deeply strategic perspective on what identity really looks like in 2026, plus where it's heading.
    This episode explores the realities that few people say out loud:

    • AI is rewriting the identity threat model faster than enterprises can adapt
    • Passwordless adoption is a cultural challenge, not a technology challenge
    • Identity has moved from "infrastructure plumbing" to the center of business agility
    • A well-defined IAMS strategy sets clear priorities for what IT teams should initiate in the next quarter to keep pace with industry requirements


    Chapter Guide
    (0:19) Welcome & introducing Simon Moffatt
    (2:50) Trends at RSA: AI and the reality behind the buzz
    (5:02) Zero Trust maturity, legacy systems & the limits of organizational change
    (7:49) Adoption gaps: why passkeys aren't rolling out fast
    (10:50) The timeline mismatch between attacks and adoption
    (13:07) Tactics vs strategic roadmaps
    (16:14) Identity convergence: physical + digital worlds collide
    (17:18) Identity as a business enabler, not a security checkbox
    (19:20) The Three‑Body Problem: humans, machines, and AI agents
    (23:16) Securing unpredictable agents: behavior, scale, and life cycle
    (31:45) The human problem: emotion, phishing, and psychological attacks
    (36:00) IAM in 2035: identity, data, attribution & intent
    (41:46) Lightning Round
    (45:21) Final advice: identity must become strategic

    Featured Guests
    Simon Moffatt — Analyst, Founder of Cyber Hut, Author
    Host: Arielle Slama — Director of Product Marketing, HID

    Related Resources

    • Download HID's Unified Identity Guide
    • Follow HID IAM on LinkedIn - Stay up to date on the latest in digital identity, authentication, and enterprise security.
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    48 mins
  • Authentic Women on Security: Bridging Physical Access & Digital Identity

    Authentic Women on Security: Bridging Physical Access & Digital Identity
    Mar 6 2026
    What does it take to shape identity systems in a world where physical access and digital authentication are converging faster than ever? In Episode 4 of Authentic Talks, host Arielle Slama sits down with two influential voices in identity and security: Natacha Torres, Marketing Lead for HID's Physical Access Control Solutions business, and Elizabeth Garber, Digital Trust Leader and advisor to global identity nonprofits. Together, they explore human decisions, leadership moments and structural shifts defining the future of identity. The conversation moves beyond architecture and into the lived experience of building systems that determine who gets access—physically and digitally. It is as much about clarity, courage, and representation as it is about trust. Episode Highlights Women shaping the future of identity and security The convergence of physical access control and digital identity Leadership through vulnerability and courage Why representation in standards bodies impacts global security Tenacity as a defining trait for women in cybersecurity Building inclusive pipelines for the next generation of identity leaders Trust as the foundation of secure systems The conversation highlights several themes shaping the identity landscape today. The convergence of physical and digital access Access control is no longer only about doors and badges. It is a combined ecosystem involving authentication flows, user experience, risk management, and trust. Natacha enters these conversations by grounding complex technical topics through clarity and fundamentals. She often emphasizes that leadership sometimes means "refocusing on what actually matters," especially when identity ecosystems become increasingly layered. Identity technology is inherently political Elizabeth explains that decisions made in identity systems—attributes, authentication requirements, verification flows—directly determine inclusion and exclusion. As she puts it, identity technology "shapes who has access and how rights show up in real life." Her work in global standards bodies underscores how much representation matters in these spaces. Representation strengthens outcomes Diverse teams reduce blind spots, improve system design, and expand perspectives on risk and user experience. Both guests highlight that representation is not only important socially—it is a security imperative. Leadership requires vulnerability and courage Both Natacha and Elizabeth have navigated environments where they were the only woman in the room. Their stories show how authenticity, clear communication, and tenacity enable them to lead effectively in technical and standards‑driven discussions. The next generation requires intentional support The future of identity depends on a diverse, global, and well-supported talent pipeline. Both guests call for mentorship, community, visibility, and more accessible pathways into identity roles. Representation and leadership in identity Identity and security remain fields where women are still underrepresented, especially in engineering and standards development. Both guests have experienced this firsthand. Natacha spoke about entering the physical access industry with deep marketing and technology experience but limited exposure to the inner mechanics of access control. Instead of letting that limit her impact, she leveraged her strength in clarity and simplification—skills especially valuable as identity systems become more interconnected, and user expectations rise. Her approach reinforces that identity leadership is not defined solely by technical depth, but by the ability to connect technology to human needs. Elizabeth shared her experience joining global standards meetings early in her identity career and often being the only woman present. These rooms shape how systems will interoperate around the world, yet they often lack the diversity needed to represent all populations. Her work with nonprofit organizations aims to widen participation and invite more practitioners into the ecosystem. Both leaders highlight the importance of: authenticity, even when navigating unfamiliar spaces communication that bridges highly technical and highly human domains recognizing where fresh perspectives can add clarity building confidence and visibility for emerging professionals Building the next generation of identity professionals Demand for identity expertise is growing across industries, yet the field is not always accessible to new entrants. Both guests emphasized that the industry needs: stronger global representation, especially from regions often underrepresented in standards work more early‑career exposure to identity concepts mentorship programs that guide professionals into the field community structures that help practitioners find their ...
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    52 mins
  • Identity at Scale: Authentication Consistency, IAM Modernization & AI Agents

    Identity at Scale: Authentication Consistency, IAM Modernization & AI Agents
    Jan 29 2026

    In Episode 3 of Authentic Talks, we dive deep into the future of identity architecture, from consistent authentication and Zero Trust principles to the rise of AI agent identities that will reshape modern IAM at enterprise scale.

    Our guest, Jeff Hickman, Head of Customer Engineering at Ory, joins hosts Arielle Slama and Rich Gibson for a fast-moving, deeply practical conversation about building consistent authentication experiences, modernizing legacy IAM, and preparing for a world where human and non-human identities both operate at massive scale.

    With 15+ years of experience in enterprise identity, cybersecurity, and software engineering for the Fortune 500, Jeff explains how organizations can modernize legacy IAM systems, deliver consumer-grade employee experiences, enforce least privilege, and build the groundwork needed for auditable AI identity systems.

    Whether you're responsible for identity architecture, Zero Trust programs, IAM modernization, or digital trust strategy — this episode will reshape how you think about scale, governance, and the future of authentication.

    Chapter Guide

    (01:05) Welcome & today's topic: scaling trust in identity
    (03:01) Jeff's "authentic question": what scaling trust means in one sentence
    (04:10) Why inconsistent authentication breaks user trust
    (06:08) How device-to-device experience gaps open the door to phishing
    (07:57) Modernizing IAM without compromising experience
    (09:49) Employees vs. consumers: why the standards should match
    (11:03) Navigating convenience, security and real-world user environments
    (12:30) When modernization meets legacy systems: scale challenges
    (14:01) The logistics of MFA, tokens, provisioning and authenticator rollout
    (18:39) The signals that it's time to scale your identity program
    (19:06) AI as a major inflection point for identity architecture
    (21:52) Agentic identities: trusted coworker vs. first-class customer
    (23:03) What a healthy agent lifecycle requires
    (27:54) The economics of trust: short-lived, verifiable, cheap-to-validate access
    (29:01) The big question: does AI reduce workload or move it?
    (30:26) The observability crisis in AI-driven authentication
    (33:34) Compliance readiness—why most organizations aren't prepared
    (34:36) The 5 foundational steps for scaling trust with AI agents
    (41:47) Lightning round: culture, inflection points, and identity myths

    Featured Guests

    Jeff Hickman – Head of Customer Engineering, Ory
    Arielle Slama – Director of Product Marketing, HID
    Rich Gibson – Director of Strategic Alliances, HID

    Related Resources

    · Download the Passkey Playbook - Learn how to choose, deploy, and scale passkeys effectively—with ROI insights backed by the FIDO Alliance.

    · Unlock Unified Enterprise Identity – Discover how ORY and HID deliver unified physical and digital access with FIDO2 security and enterprise-scale capabilities.

    · Follow HID Global IAM on LinkedIn - Stay up to date on the latest in digital identity, authentication, and enterprise security.
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    44 mins
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