Okta VP pushes design-first identity security

At Okta's Oktane event, senior vice president of design and research Kristen Swanson underscored the rising importance of an "identity security fabric" in safeguarding both human and machine identities in the era of AI agents, according to SiliconANGLE.

Speaking with theCUBE, Swanson explained that a design-first strategy can unify fragmented tools into a seamless system, improving security while keeping user experience at the forefront. She likened the approach to cooking: "You wouldn't keep all the vegetables separate from the potatoes and the meats... you would let those flavors blend," emphasizing that identity solutions should integrate without users worrying about tool compatibility.

Swanson said orchestration is at the heart of the fabric, enabling automated governance and remediation while reducing operational burdens on IT teams. She also highlighted the critical role of open standards, which ensure interoperability across technologies and allow organizations to choose the right tools without sacrificing safety.

"We still want them to be safe," Swanson stressed.