Topic starter
11/06/2026 10:35 pm
TL;DR: Hybrid work, least privilege, zero trust, endpoint security, and hyper-automation are redefining CIO and IT responsibilities in 2026, with shadow IT, remote access, cloud exposure, and low-code adoption all raising new governance pressure, according to Zluri. The identity lesson is clear: control models built for office-bound users and static systems no longer fit the way access is actually being used.
Editorial analysis by NHI Mgmt Group, based on content published by Zluri: “Top Technology Trends That CIOs Cannot Overlook in 2026”.
Key questions
Q: How should security teams govern Shadow IT without slowing users down?
A: Start with visibility, not prohibition.
A: Zero trust matters more because cloud environments blur the old network boundary.
Q: What are the signs that automation has become an identity governance risk?
A: Look for automation platforms that create credentials, tokens, or delegated permissions without clear ownership, review, or retirement paths.
Practitioner guidance
- Inventory shadow IT by identity owner Build a continuously updated inventory of unsanctioned apps, the users who adopted them, and the data or permissions each service can reach.
- Apply contextual access controls to remote sessions Require stronger authentication and conditional authorisation for remote and public-network access to sensitive resources, especially where device posture is unknown.
- Bring low-code and automation platforms into governance Treat workflow builders, automation tools, and citizen-development platforms as governed identity surfaces with assigned owners and entitlement review.
Bottom line: Hybrid work, shadow IT, and cloud access are pushing identity governance beyond the office perimeter and into every endpoint and application touchpoint.
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This topic was modified 4 days ago by NHI Mgmt Group
12/06/2026 6:48 am
Shadow IT is an identity governance problem before it is a software sprawl problem. Once users create unsanctioned access paths, the organisation loses the ability to review, certify, and offboard those entitlements on a governed schedule. The practical consequence is that inventory and lifecycle control become prerequisites for policy enforcement, not follow-on tasks.
A question worth separating out:
Q: What should CIOs prioritise first when remote work expands the identity surface?
A: Prioritise the access paths that combine remote users, unmanaged devices, and sensitive cloud resources. Those paths concentrate the highest identity risk because they depend on trust decisions that are hardest to observe and revoke. Once those are under control, extend the same governance model to shadow IT, low-code, and automation platforms.
👉 Read our full editorial: AI, zero trust, and shadow IT are reshaping CIO identity priorities
This post was modified 4 days ago by NHI Mgmt Group