Glossary / Legacy IDP

Legacy IDP

Legacy identity systems refer to older, traditional, and outdated identity and access management (IAM) infrastructures. 

Organizations have used them for decades to manage user authentication, authorization, and identity data. These systems were often designed for on-premises environments, where security boundaries were clearly defined, typically around corporate networks and data centers. 

While they once served their purpose, legacy identity systems face significant challenges today in adapting to cloud-driven, remote-access environments. 

What are the key characteristics of legacy identity systems?

Legacy identity systems are built on outdated cybersecurity protocols and architecture and lack the flexibility, scalability, and security capabilities necessary to meet modern business demands. Not to mention all the hidden costs. Here are the key issues surrounding legacy identity. 

Centralized, on-premises focus

Legacy identity systems were primarily designed for centralized, on-premises environments and typically relied on a single Active Directory (AD) domain controller to manage authentication and authorization for all users within an organization. 

This worked well when users were working primarily within the corporate network, but with the rise of remote work and cloud services, they struggled to provide adequate security and a seamless user experience.

Lack of scalability and cloud integration

Legacy systems are often hard to scale, especially when user bases proliferate. Unlike modern identity platforms, which leverage the cloud to manage millions of identities seamlessly, legacy identity systems often require extensive hardware, manual updates, and additional investments to keep up.

Plus, integrating with cloud-based applications is a massive challenge for legacy systems. Traditional identity management was never designed with SaaS applications in mind, which means complex workarounds or costly modifications to extend the system’s capabilities. 

Modern Identity Providers (IDPs) like Okta or Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), however, offer seamless integrations with cloud services, making it easier for organizations to secure remote and hybrid environments.

Static security approach

Security in legacy identity systems typically relies on static credentials like usernames and passwords, which are highly vulnerable to attacks like phishing and credential stuffing. They also lack the ability to enforce more dynamic security measures like adaptive authentication or multi-factor authentication (MFA). 

Which, of course, makes them more prone to breaches.

Let’s say an organization uses a legacy identity system without MFA. This leaves user accounts vulnerable, as a compromised password alone could provide attackers with unauthorized access to critical resources. With modern IDPs, on the other hand, getting MFA, contextual access controls, and risk-based authentication can (and do) significantly enhance security.

Challenges with legacy identity systems

Limited support for modern applications

Legacy systems were built for an era before cloud-based, mobile, and SaaS applications became mainstream. Integrating these older systems with new technologies often requires complex and costly custom solutions. They also lack API support, which modern applications rely on for seamless identity integration.

For instance, traditional LDAP-based systems are unable to directly communicate with many modern cloud apps without additional software bridges or synchronization tools. This lack of compatibility not only creates a cumbersome user experience but also increases operational costs.

User experience and productivity

Legacy identity systems often lead to a fragmented user experience. Employees may need to remember multiple passwords for different systems, leading to password fatigue and poor security practices, such as password reuse. This lack of a centralized, seamless identity experience impacts productivity and increases the likelihood of security incidents.

Modern IDPs, such as Google Identity or Okta, address this by offering Single Sign-On (SSO) that allows users to access multiple systems with just one set of credentials, simplifying authentication and enhancing security.

Migrating from legacy systems to modern identity providers (IDPs)

To address the shortcomings of legacy identity systems, many organizations are opting to migrate to modern Identity Providers (IDPs). IDPs offer a more flexible, secure, and scalable approach to identity management, supporting both cloud and on-premises environments while also providing advanced security features.

For example, a company may migrate from a traditional on-premises AD to Entra ID to support its remote workforce; it integrates with thousands of cloud applications, offers adaptive MFA, and provides seamless SSO. The migration to an IDP improves operational efficiency while also addressing the security vulnerabilities inherent in legacy systems.

One way to modernize identity systems is using Identity Orchestration — a new, standard-based, software approach for managing distributed identity and access management (IAM).

Why addressing legacy identity systems is so critical 

The limitations of legacy identity systems can expose organizations to significant risks, including data breaches, inefficiencies, and compliance challenges. Today’s cyber threats are sophisticated and evolving, requiring identity solutions that can adapt and scale. Legacy systems lack these capabilities, leaving organizations vulnerable.

Regulatory compliance is another important consideration. Standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA often require organizations to implement robust identity management and authentication practices. Legacy systems may struggle to meet these requirements, putting organizations at risk of compliance-related penalties.

Migrating to a modern IDP provides a more agile, secure, and user-friendly way to manage identities. It’s ultimately about keeping up with evolving business needs, enabling secure remote access, and addressing the risks posed by outdated, static security measures.

What are the real costs of maintaining a legacy identity provider? Find out in this article: The hidden costs of maintaining a legacy IDP.