Enterprise Security Weekly (Audio) Transforming Frontline Workflows with Passwordless Access, AI costs, and the News - Joel Burleson-Davis - ESW #431
Nov 3, 2025
Joel Burleson-Davis, CTO at Imprivata, discusses the exciting shift towards passwordless authentication, revolutionizing access for frontline workers in healthcare and critical sectors. He highlights how inefficient logins hinder productivity and presents various passwordless technologies like biometrics and FIDO. The conversation also tackles the escalating costs of AI agents, underscoring how organizations can effectively manage expenses while optimizing processes. Burleson-Davis shares strategies for secure, frictionless access, emphasizing the importance of understanding workforce needs.
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Frontline Devices Are Tools, Not Identities
- Frontline workers treat devices as tools, not identities, so authentication must vanish into workflows.
- Passwordless solutions should match role, mobility, and environment rather than force a single method.
Provide Multiple Passwordless Options
- Offer multiple passwordless modalities (face, badge, behavioral) because one size won't work across locations and tasks.
- Ensure each user has at least one high-assurance option that fits their workflow to avoid rejection.
Policy Over Method For Scalability
- Require each user to register a selection of low-, medium-, and high-assurance authentication methods.
- Use abstract security policies that demand a level of assurance, not a specific method, to scale.
