Security Leaders Prioritise Unified Solutions as 73% Shift Strategy

As organisations navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape, security leaders are making strategic shifts towards unified platforms and emerging technologies, according to the newly released 2025 State of Security and Identity Report from HID.

The comprehensive study gathered responses from 1,800 partners, end users, and security and IT personnel worldwide and reveals a significant transformation in how businesses are approaching security, with mobile credentials and artificial intelligence emerging as key drivers of innovation.

“The security industry is at a pivotal moment where integrating modern technology with existing infrastructure is no longer optional—it is imperative,” stated Ramesh Songukrishnasamy, Senior Vice President of Engineering at HID. “The fact that 73% of security leaders now prioritise software-driven unified solutions shows we have moved beyond traditional siloed approaches. Organisations are demanding platforms that can scale with their needs while providing actionable intelligence.”

Key findings from the report include:

A marked increase in mobile credentials and biometrics adoption, signalling a shift away from traditional access methods

The rapid rise of mobile credentials, with 61% of security leaders identifying their proliferation as a top trend, signals a significant shift away from traditional access methods. Nearly two-thirds are either deploying or planning to deploy mobile solutions. Concurrently, demand for biometric technologies such as fingerprint, iris, and facial recognition is increasing: around 35% of respondents currently use biometric technology, while 13% plan to, indicating strong growth potential in this segment.

Growing demand for unified security management solutions that streamline operations

As organisations diversify security technology, many security leaders (67%) are adopting software-driven security solutions, citing the unification of multiple data collection methodologies as “somewhat” or “very important” (73%) to their organisation.

Strong preference for open platforms that facilitate seamless integration

Interoperability has become synonymous with progress across the security industry over the past few years, and the trend continues, with more than half of security professionals reporting that open solutions are “extremely” or “very” important to their organisations.

Strategic focus on converging platform solutions rather than standalone products

Nearly two-thirds of organisations, along with 73% of integrators and consultants, report a shift towards software-driven security solutions that bridge physical and digital functions, such as video surveillance, access control, and intrusion detection, into a more unified platform.

Significant channel transformation driven by digital innovation

The security channel is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by digital innovation. While 77% of channel partners believe they are adapting well to these changes, growing end-user demand for AI, cloud solutions, IoT integration, and advanced analytics is reshaping service expectations. To thrive, the channel must continuously evolve and adapt to meet market demands and keep pace with digital transformation in the security sector.

Accelerated adoption of AI agents to enhance security operations

AI agents are being rapidly adopted to enhance security operations. Use cases are expanding across access control, identity management, video, and security management platforms. Key benefits cited include improved efficiency and speed of security processes (50%) and enhanced real-time data analysis capabilities (47%).

Continued emphasis on sustainability in security decision-making, budget allowing

Sustainability remains a key factor in security decision-making, with 75% of security leaders now considering it in their solution selection process. However, sustainability is not the most critical factor when selecting new solutions, as security and cost-effectiveness remain the highest priorities for 80% of integrators and consultants.