Extend identity security to third parties

A non-employee is any individual or organization that needs access to your systems, data, or applications but is not on your full-time payroll. This includes contractors, vendors, consultants, franchisees, business partners, agents, affiliates, interns, and temporary workers.

Non-employees are often referred to using different terms—such as third parties, external identities, B2B users, guest accounts, or partner IAM. While the language may vary by industry or region, all these terms point to the same challenge: governing users who fall outside of traditional HR-managed systems.

Third-party risk refers to the potential for data breaches, compliance violations, or operational disruption caused by external users, such as vendors, contractors, and partners, who have access to your systems. These identities often lack formal oversight or consistent processes, making them more vulnerable to mismanagement, excessive access, and potential exploitation by attackers.

Non-Employee Risk Management strengthens your security posture by bringing structure, visibility, and control to third-party access. It applies Zero Trust principles to enforce consistent guardrails across every stage of the non-employee lifecycle — from onboarding to offboarding. The solution automates access approvals, triggers timely deprovisioning, and supports periodic revalidation of assignments. Security teams gain clear insight into who has access, what they can reach, how long they’ve had it, and why — making it easier to reduce standing access and close critical risk gaps before they can be exploited.

Yes. The solution integrates with identity verification providers to verify third-party users before granting access. This ensures that contractors, vendors, and other non-employees are who they claim to be, which adds an important layer of trust and compliance to your onboarding process and reducing the risk of fraud or unauthorized access.

Non-employees often follow different onboarding paths, access timelines, and ownership models than employees. Their identities are typically managed through informal methods like spreadsheets or email threads, which increases security and compliance risk. A purpose-built solution ensures external identities are governed with the same rigor as employees, while accounting for the nuances of how the business works with outside parties.

Third parties often have access to sensitive data or critical systems but are less visible than employees in day-to-day operations. Regularly auditing their access helps identify excessive permissions, dormant accounts, or access no longer tied to a valid business need. Without this oversight, organizations face increased risk of insider threats, compliance violations, and security breaches.

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they all refer to the same core challenge: managing identities that exist outside your full-time workforce.

• Partner IAM typically refers to identity and access management for business partners and third-party collaborators.
• B2B identities highlight the organization-to-organization nature of the relationship (e.g., vendors or suppliers accessing your systems).
• External identities is a broad term encompassing any non-employee, including individuals or organizations.
• Guest identities are often short-term users with limited access—such as a visiting consultant or project-based contractor.

Despite the naming differences, they all point to the need for a dedicated solution that governs access across third parties securely and at scale.