Generally, average digital user is at least marginally aware of the need for cybersecurity. In an increasingly interconnected digital world, the rise of digital threats and the massive surge in cyberattacks have made cybersecurity a top priority for all entities. A report by Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that by 2025, cybercrime damages will cost the world $10.5 trillion annually, up from $3 trillion in 2015. This fosters the urgency of implementing strong cybersecurity protocols and measures to protect sensitive information, maintain privacy, and ensure the integrity of our digital infrastructure. As such, the role of skilled cybersecurity professionals in safeguarding digital world becomes more crucial.
Industry professionals like Pravin Agarwal realize that the cybersecurity landscape is in a state of constant flux, creating a need to adapt to the relentless pace of technological evolution and the sophisticated threats it brings along. Agarwal is a CyberArk Guardian Certified professional with over 18 years of IT and cybersecurity experience, and his pursuit of enhancing security practices is redefining the industry – especially concerning Identity and Access Management (IAM) and privileged governance strategies.
“Passwords have been the weak link in cybersecurity for a long time,” says Agarwal. “They’re prone to human error, they are easily compromised, and managing them is a challenge. The future is password-less.”
It’s a sentiment that is increasingly echoed in cybersecurity circles. A 2022 study by Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that passwords will cause 90% of all data breaches by 2025. Agarwal’s vision of a password-less ecosystem is not just a remedy to this pressing problem; it’s a paradigm shift, transforming the way businesses think about security.
In this password-less future, traditional text-based passwords are replaced with more secure and convenient authentication methods such as biometrics, hardware tokens, or behavior analytics. However, this shift comes with its own challenges.
“Moving to a password-less environment isn’t just a technical shift. It’s a cultural one,” Agarwal explains. “People are used to passwords. They’re familiar. Transitioning requires not just implementing new technologies, but also overcoming resistance to change.”
One of the key principles that guide Agarwal’s work is the concept of Zero Trust. This security model assumes that threats can come from anywhere—both outside and inside the organization—and that every user, device, and network flow can be potentially compromised.
“Zero Trust is the way forward,” Agarwal asserts. “In a Zero Trust environment, it doesn’t matter if a user has the right password. What matters is that they’re authenticated, authorized, and continuously validated.” Zero Trust framework enables the present digital era to secure its data and develop safe infrastructure.
Automation plays a critical role in managing privileged access in this new world. By automating the process of granting, managing, and revoking access rights, businesses can minimize human error, reduce the risk of insider threats, and improve security posture.
“Automation in privileged access management can reduce privileged accounts and identities onboarding time by up to 90%,” Agarwal points out. “It streamlines auditing requirements across the organization, making the management of privileged access more efficient and less prone to mistakes.”
This combination of Zero Trust, password-less authentication, and automation paves the way to a more secure future. However, this vision doesn’t exist in isolation—it must exist within a broader context of digital transformation. As more and more organizations migrate to the cloud, these principles must be extended to secure cloud-based systems and infrastructure.
“Cloud security is a new frontier,” says Agarwal. “Managing privileged access in the cloud is different from on-premises environments. It’s about managing and automating access across multiple platforms—AWS, GCP, Azure, and beyond. And doing this effectively requires adopting the same principles of Zero Trust, password-less authentication, and automation.”
Agarwal firmly believes that in the near future, the password will be archaic, a relic, a thing of the past. Zero Trust will be the default, he says, and automation will ensure secure, seamless access to resources. It’s a vision where security is no longer a barrier but a facilitator of productivity and innovation.
“We’re standing at the edge of a new era in cybersecurity,” he says. “It’s a future where security is integrated and invisible. Where trust is continuously earned, not assumed. And where the right people have the right access at the right time, without the need for a password.”
The journey from passwords to password-less is not without its challenges. But with visionaries like Pravin Agarwal leading the charge, the future of cybersecurity looks promising—redefining security in a Zero Trust world.
About Pravin Agarwal
With over 18 years of IT and Cybersecurity experience, Pravin Agarwal is a CyberArk Guardian and a prominent figure in the cybersecurity landscape. He has made significant contributions to the development and implementation of PAM strategies, Zero Trust security models, and Cloud Security. His work spans various sectors, including banking, capital markets, insurance, asset management, and pharmaceuticals, among others. Agarwal’s expertise in developing relationships with top management and key decision-makers in target organizations has been instrumental in driving revenue and delivering successful outcomes in complex environments.
Learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Agarwala/
