Security teams entering 2026 face a familiar truth dressed in new clothes. The technologies change, the tools get smarter, but most compromises still trace back to two core areas of any organization: identity and data. Securing them with separate programs is an invitation to gaps and blind spots. Treating them as the two columns that support the whole security architecture makes resilience practical and achievable. This article explains why identity and data must be managed together, highlights the most common operational pitfalls, and offers a practical roadmap that teams can apply without overwhelming the business. Why Two Columns, Not Two…
Dirk Schrader
Dirk Schrader
Dirk Schrader is VP of Security Research at Netwrix. A 25-year veteran in IT security with certifications as CISSP (ISC2) and CISM (ISACA), he works to advance cyber resilience as a modern approach to tackling cyber threats. As the VP of Security Research, Dirk is working on focused research for specific industries like healthcare, energy, and finance.