TL;DR

Herd has built direct integrations into Okta to expand identity access management into complete human risk protection. 

Okta locks the doors, Herd trains the people inside. Together, they turn everyday security risks into instant learning moments, building a workforce that defends itself. 

Okta and the Herd

With 95% of Herd customers already on Okta, it was natural to align our platform to enhance existing identity data and leverage it for human security. Now, Okta customers can instantly onboard Herd to expand identity protection into full human security, layering in real-time detections, phishing simulations, AI-driven training, and AI applications to increase security engagement. 

This blog will show how Herd + Okta makes security simpler, smarter, and stronger for employees, as well as making it more accessible and engaging for them. 

Okta Transforming IAM since 2009

Okta is the leading identity and access management (IAM) platform used by organizations worldwide to secure digital access. At its core, Okta acts as a trusted gatekeeper, making sure the right people have the proper access to the right resources at the right time.

It works by centralizing authentication through features like Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and lifecycle management. This removes the complexity of managing countless logins and credentials while giving security teams strong visibility and control.

By anchoring security in identity, Okta helps organizations reduce risk from compromised credentials, the entry point for most cyberattacks. In short: Okta turns identity into the frontline of defense, protecting both people and data.

Herd Security: Going Beyond the Checkbox

At Herd Security, our mission is to simplify security for the everyday user. For too long, security awareness training has been viewed as an obligation, something organizations endure to check a compliance box. However, compliance doesn’t necessarily lead to behavior change or an improved security posture. 

Here’s the reality: 90% of cyberattacks target humans first. Whether it’s social engineering or MFA fatigue, attackers know that employees are the weakest link. And with the rise of generative AI making phishing and deepfakes more convincing, the threat landscape is evolving faster than most organizations can keep up.

Unfortunately, traditional training hasn’t kept pace. Most security training platforms are static, generic, and painfully slow. They’re designed for auditors, not employees. The result? Users tune out, bad habits stick, and organizations remain vulnerable.

That’s why we built Herd, a platform that flips security awareness training on its head. And when paired with Okta, the leading identity provider, organizations can finally bridge the gap between secure logins and secure behavior after login.

Herd’s Approach: Engagement

Herd was built to make security more human-centric. Instead of forcing employees into a rigid training program, Herd adapts to their learning styles, their workflows, and even their current place in their cybersecurity journey, meeting users where they are.

It begins with understanding the overall risk of the organization. We leverage existing security tools to build risk profiles across the business, focusing on specific security risks, user risks, and other potential threats. With this information, we take our first steps into building workforce engagement, which is driven through modernizing older forms of security training, simulations, and tabletop exercises with generative AI. 

Here’s how we do it:

• Gamification and competition - By introducing leaderboards and challenges, we make training more engaging. Engagement rises when employees are motivated by more than meeting compliance.
  
  

• Bite-sized learning - Short, contextual modules delivered in the flow of work, in place of hour-long, boring slide decks.
  
  

• Personalized for every learning style - Visual learners get videos and infographics; auditory learners get quick audio recaps; hands-on learners get interactive challenges. Everyone learns differently, and we meet them there.
  
  

• Context-driven training - Modules aren’t abstract. They’re delivered directly inside tools employees already use, like Slack, Gmail, or Okta, and tied to real events happening in the organization.

Herd + Okta: Closing the Human Layer Gap

Okta already provides a tremendous amount of security information. Why hasn’t anyone leveraged built-in Okta detections, data, and logs to create contextual training? 

That’s where Herd comes in. By connecting directly with Okta, we bring real-time training and awareness into the human layer of security.

Here are some powerful examples:

• Live response to Okta alerts - If Okta detects a brute-force login attempt, Herd immediately prompts the targeted user with a short training on strong passwords and account safety — right in the moment they need it.
  
  

• Behavior-driven remediation - If an employee disables MFA, Herd automatically delivers a curated module via Slack. The user learns why MFA matters and how to fix their mistake instantly.
  
  

• From incident to education in minutes - If one employee reports a phishing email, Herd amplifies that exact attack into a training simulation for the entire organization. Everyone learns from a real-world event, not a hypothetical scenario.

By pairing Okta’s identity protection with Herd’s behavioral reinforcement, organizations finally get end-to-end defense for the human layer.

Real-World Impact: From Threat to Training in Minutes

The power of Herd isn’t theoretical. Our customers are already seeing transformational results.

One Unicorn defense startup discovered an engineering vulnerability in a GitHub pull request. Remediating the issue and then creating a training module may take weeks. With Herd, the security team was able to:

1. Identify and block the vulnerability,
   
   

2. Convert it into a tailored training for engineers, and
   
   

3. Distribute it across the team within 5 minutes.
   
   

The results spoke for themselves: 90% of engineers completed the training within 24 hours, reinforcing secure coding habits at the exact moment it mattered most.

That’s the difference between compliance and culture.

The Future of Human-Layer Security

The future of cybersecurity isn’t just about firewalls, identity providers, or threat intelligence. It’s about people. Attackers know it, and they’ll keep exploiting human vulnerabilities until organizations fight back with tools that truly engage employees.

With Herd and Okta working together, organizations can have complete control and visibility across the human layer. 

• Okta provides coverage for what people have access to at what time.
  
  

• Herd provides information about how people are behaving with that access, and remediating risky behavior with corrective measures.

By delivering personalized, real-time, and contextual training, Herd turns everyday employees into active participants in their company’s security posture. It’s not about checking boxes. It’s about building a culture of security awareness where every employee becomes part of the defense system.

Conclusion: Try Herd with Okta Today

Cybersecurity is no longer just the job of the security team; it’s the responsibility of the entire organization. Herd exists to make that shift possible, turning static compliance training into dynamic, engaging, and adaptive learning.

Okta secures your identity layer. Herd secures your human layer. Together, they deliver the strongest defense organizations can have.

👉 If you’re already an Okta customer, you can try Herd today and see the benefits instantly. Let’s transform security awareness from a burden into a culture.