Greater Visibility, Lower Risk: How SmartCentres Modernized Identity Governance with Linx Security

May 22, 2025

Industry: Real Estate & Retail
Customer: SmartCentres
Interviewee: David Silva, CIO
Company Overview: With over 200 retail properties across Canada, SmartCentres is one of the country’s largest shopping center landlords.

The Challenge: Identity Sprawl and Manual Risk

When David Silva took on the role of CIO at SmartCentres, the cybersecurity posture was in need of an overhaul. With the company's rapid adoption of best-in-breed cloud solutions, identity sprawl quickly became an urgent concern. “We had IDs everywhere,” Silva recalled, “and didn’t really have a good grasp of permissions or roles.”

This fragmentation was more than an operational issue - it introduced critical security risks. Manual offboarding processes often missed systems, creating dangerous gaps. In fact, Silva’s team discovered former employees logging into cloud apps days after being let go. “We needed to reduce the risk and make sure it wasn’t just about compliance,” said Silva, “but about visibility and control.”

The Manual Burden

Before Linx, gathering identity reports took three to four days every month. “By the time I got the report, it was already outdated,” Silva shared. “That costs time, resources, and leaves us exposed.”

SmartCentres needed more than just visibility - they needed real-time, actionable insights tied to their HR system of record.

The Solution: Linx Security’s Real-Time Identity Intelligence

SmartCentres partnered with Linx Security to eliminate identity blind spots and automate risk reduction across its environment. What stood out?

Real-Time Gap Analysis: Linx automatically flagged mismatches between the HR system and connected apps.
Taking Action by Workflow Automation: If a user was deactivated in HR but still active elsewhere, Linx triggered immediate alerts - and action.
Custom Connectors: Linx’s team rapidly integrated niche real estate solutions that most vendors wouldn't touch.
Automated Offboarding: Business rules ensured that when someone left, their access was revoked - systemwide and fast.

“Linx gave us the visibility we didn’t know we were missing,” Silva said. “It wasn’t just a dashboard. It actually did something.”

The Impact: Security, Efficiency, and Audit-Readiness

With Linx, SmartCentres saw a measurable transformation:

Risk Reduction: Eliminated lingering access that could be exploited by threat actors.
Audit Readiness: Real-time offboarding and reporting streamlined compliance for semi-annual audits.
Operational Efficiency: Freed up staff time previously spent compiling outdated reports.
Strategic Visibility: Silva and his team now get live insights into who has access to what, across all systems.

In David Silva’s words, “If I had to sum up Linx in two words: visibility and efficiency.”

A Final Word

Too many teams assume their identity and access processes are under control - until an audit fails or a breach proves otherwise. For SmartCentres, Linx Security has become a strategic partner in not only protecting the business, but also building a more agile and accountable identity program.