Topic starter
12/06/2026 10:07 pm
TL;DR: A 2022 Authentication Survey of 252 U.S. security and IT executives found 86% plan to implement passwordless or already have, while 70% say authentication complexity overwhelms them, according to Axiad. That gap shows authentication programmes still fail when architecture, visibility, and user experience are treated separately.
Editorial analysis by NHI Mgmt Group, based on content published by Axiad: “Don’t Let Underlying IT Complexity Block Your Road to Successful Authentication”.
By the numbers:
- Axiad’s 2022 Authentication Survey included 252 U.S. security and IT executives at organisations with 2,500 or more employees.
- 86% of respondents plan to implement a passwordless strategy in the next 12 months, or already have done so.
- 70% of survey respondents said they are overwhelmed by the complexity of their authentication systems.
Key questions
Q: What breaks when authentication is too complex for passwordless adoption?
A: Passwordless programmes fail when the surrounding authentication estate is fragmented across silos, recovery paths, and exception processes.
Q: Why does authentication complexity create security risk for IAM programmes?
A: Complexity creates risk because it fragments control ownership, weakens visibility, and makes policy enforcement inconsistent across systems.
Q: How do IAM teams know whether passwordless adoption is actually working?
A: They should look for fewer lockouts, fewer reset requests, shorter time to access, and lower dependence on help desk intervention.
Practitioner guidance
- Assess authentication sprawl end to end Catalogue all active authentication methods, fallback paths, and exception workflows before expanding passwordless.
- Measure visibility across authentication controls Track which applications, populations, and recovery paths remain outside central visibility.
- Reduce user friction in high-volume journeys Prioritise the login and recovery journeys that generate the most support tickets, reset activity, or abandonment.
Bottom line: Authentication modernisation stalls when the enterprise authentication estate is fragmented and hard to see end to end.
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This topic was modified 6 days ago by NHI Mgmt Group
13/06/2026 12:40 am
Authentication complexity is now a governance constraint, not just a usability nuisance. The survey shows that passwordless intent is already widespread, but implementation still collides with fragmented architecture and operational sprawl. That means the limiting factor is programme design, not stakeholder awareness. Practitioners should treat authentication complexity as a structural risk to IAM outcomes.
A question worth separating out:
Q: How can organisations balance authentication security and usability?
A: Use risk-based controls that raise friction only when the access request warrants it. If every login feels equally hard, users look for shortcuts; if every login is equally easy, assurance drops. Good programmes tune controls to application sensitivity, device context, and session risk.
👉 Read our full editorial: Authentication complexity is still blocking passwordless adoption
This post was modified 6 days ago by NHI Mgmt Group