Passwordless Security in the Age of AI: A Conversation with Slavik Markovich, CEO of Descope

Passwordless Security in the Age of AI: A Conversation with Slavik Markovich, CEO of Descope

Cybersecurity is once again at a critical crossroads—this time, driven by the explosive growth of AI technologies. During a recent visit to Descope’s Palo Alto office, I sat down with CEO Slavik Markovich, a veteran in the cybersecurity space whose past ventures, Demisto (acquired by Palo Alto Networks) and Sentrigo (acquired by McAfee), shaped much of the modern security landscape. Our conversation centered around how AI is radically reshaping digital identity.


Slavik and his team—collaborators for nearly three decades—launched Descope with a bold mission: eliminate passwords altogether. “Passwords are the worst of both worlds,” he noted, “hard for humans to remember and easy for computers to crack.” As AI supercharges phishing and other attack vectors, traditional passwords only grow more inadequate.


Instead, Slavik advocates for passkeys—phishing-resistant, cryptographic keys stored locally and authenticated via biometrics, without ever exposing the biometric data. It's a fundamentally more secure and seamless approach to authentication.


Descope’s innovation doesn’t stop there. As AI evolves into “agentic” form—digital agents acting on behalf of users—the company is tackling a new security frontier. These agents don’t fit neatly into existing models of user authentication or machine-to-machine trust. “The industry is shifting toward agentic AI,” Slavik explained, “and that’s expanding the scale and complexity of identity management.”


One surprisingly common challenge they’re solving is the "confused agent problem," where digital agents unintentionally act with higher privileges than intended. Descope positions itself as the intermediary—managing progressive authorization, mediating between users, agents, and applications, and ensuring secure, compliant interactions.


For CISOs and enterprise leaders, this shift presents both urgency and opportunity. AI is no longer an emerging edge case—it’s embedded in tools and workflows across organizations. Security teams must act swiftly to secure agent-driven interactions and identity touchpoints or risk falling behind.


At Clarity, where I focus on AI-powered threats like deepfakes and next-gen phishing, I see firsthand how vital identity management has become. It’s no longer just a login issue—it’s the first and most critical line of defense. Security solutions must be both robust and frictionless, balancing user experience with airtight protection.


Slavik also shared a personal insight that stood out to me: “We prioritize having fun. We’ve built multiple companies together because we genuinely enjoy the journey.” That mindset resonates. The best cybersecurity innovations come from passionate teams that love solving hard problems, not just building defenses.


The identity revolution is already underway. Organizations that embrace passwordless, agent-aware authentication now will dramatically improve both their security and user experience. Those that delay will face rising vulnerabilities and growing user frustration.


Our industry isn’t just evolving—it’s undergoing a full-scale transformation. Proactively embracing agentic AI, passkeys, and adaptive identity strategies is not just smart—it’s essential. Those who lead will define the future of digital trust. Those who don’t may find themselves struggling to catch up in a threat landscape redefined by AI.

Avsnitt(1170)

Ep204: Diane Boettcher | Architect Manager at Microsoft

Ep204: Diane Boettcher | Architect Manager at Microsoft

Ms. Boettcher has comprehensive experience in program management of large IT infrastructure projects, implementing ITIL and ITSM, overseeing 230+ staff members. She has a history of delivering results with large-scale, cross-functional teams across multiple cultures and countries. Ms. Boettcher is a recognized Cyber expert, supporting intelligence, information warfare, and network operations. Retired from the US Navy Reserves as a Captain, she is a published Joint author on technical and leadership issues, as well as a polished presenter.

3 Jan 202119min

Ep202: Sharyn Abbott | Founder and CEO of Ultimate Business University

Ep202: Sharyn Abbott | Founder and CEO of Ultimate Business University

Speaker, Author and Trainer, Sharyn has worked with entrepreneurs for more than 30 years to help them increase their profitability and their efficiency. Sharyn appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show speaking about unique communications techniques. She has more than 35 training modules and 5 training programs to help guide entrepreneurs.

3 Jan 202127min

Ep198: David Golan | Co-Founder and CTO of Viz.

Ep198: David Golan | Co-Founder and CTO of Viz.

David Golan is a co-founder and the CTO of Viz.ai, a digital healthcare company harnessing deep learning to analyze medical data and improve clinical workflow. Viz.ai developed the First ever FDA-approved AI-powered triage system for stroke. Previously he was a Fulbright postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University, working on leveraging deep learning for the analysis of medical imaging and genetic data. David holds a Ph.D. in Statistics and Machine learning from Tel-Aviv University, and has co-authored more than 20 scientific papers.

31 Dec 202022min

Ep189: Jennifer Kenny | Advisor to Innovation & Transformation Execs

Ep189: Jennifer Kenny | Advisor to Innovation & Transformation Execs

Jennifer has over 25 years of experience in strategy, leadership development and technology driven transformation, after having held senior positions with Accenture, Booz Allen and Gartner, as well as executive roles with Wells Fargo and Cisco, UCSF and Stanford Research Institute. She was awarded the internationally acclaimed IDG DEMO Entrepreneurship Award and the ITLG Silicon Valley Top 50 Award. Today she speaks, writes, and delivers transformational programs globally.

31 Dec 202021min

Ep194: Linda Popky | Founder of Leverage2Market | Author

Ep194: Linda Popky | Founder of Leverage2Market | Author

Linda is the founder of Leverage2Market Associates and is an award-winning Silicon Valley-based strategic marketing expert who helps organizations and individuals use marketing to stand out from the crowd. She is the Executive Director of the Society for the Advancement of Consulting (SAC), and the author of the book Marketing Above the Noise: Achieve Strategic Advantage with Marketing that Matters. Along with helping clients, Linda has also written marketing, PR materials and edited books for other authors.

31 Dec 202020min

Ep197: Anita Kumari | Founder and Chief Strategiest at HappinessFactors

Ep197: Anita Kumari | Founder and Chief Strategiest at HappinessFactors

Anita is an award-winning author, coach, and Founder & Chief Strategist at HappinessFactors, a startup that creates an emotional wellness ecosystem. She is the recipient of Innovative Leader and Woman Of Influence Awards in 2020 and is passionate about spreading happiness globally. Anita is an abuse survivor who is passionate about empowering others and creating awareness about emotional wellness, and is the author of “Find your Happy”, a survivor’s guide to happiness in spite of life’s challenges.

31 Dec 202021min

Ep185: Raz Abramov | Founder and VP R&D of Evercompliant

Ep185: Raz Abramov | Founder and VP R&D of Evercompliant

Raz is a cyber-security expert and has an extensive background in research and development in various fields, including vulnerability assessment and network protocols. He co-founded EverCompliant following a tenure serving in the IDF’s 8200 Unit. To begin with, Raz and the other co-founders started EverCompliant with a motivation to combat terrorist activity. Raz holds a B.A. in Computer Science from the Open University of Israel and an M.Sc. in Computer Science from Bar-Ilan University.

31 Dec 202021min

Ep196: Omri Kriegel | Founder of Homeward Ventures

Ep196: Omri Kriegel | Founder of Homeward Ventures

Omri is the founder of Homeward Ventures, a fund that invests in early-stage innovative startups with a goal to holistically support bold and ambitious entrepreneurs. His service as a Captain in the Israeli Navy SEALS has shaped his results-driven mentality and dedication to hard work. Omri holds over 15 years of business experience in various sectors, and following several life-changing events, serves as a motivational speaker to different organizations. Omri was the Chairman of the IDC Zell Alumni Organization and was named by Poets and Quants for the Best and Brightest EMBA list.

31 Dec 202023min

Populärt inom Business & ekonomi

badfluence
framgangspodden
varvet
rss-jossan-nina
uppgang-och-fall
rss-svart-marknad
bathina-en-podcast
rss-borsens-finest
24fragor
lastbilspodden
svd-tech-brief
avanzapodden
dynastin
rss-kort-lang-analyspodden-fran-di
fill-or-kill
affarsvarlden
rss-dagen-med-di
borsmorgon
kapitalet-en-podd-om-ekonomi
tabberaset