Modern organizations rely on digital systems, which employees, partners, and other parties use to communicate, manage operations, and collaborate. However, the downside of this convenience is vulnerability to security risks.
Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a useful framework for ensuring that only authorized individuals can access specific resources under the right circumstances, which means accessing them at appropriate times and for acceptable reasons.
IAM employs a range of technologies and strategies to manage this important aspect of information technology, and four fundamental pillars underpinning the concept are identity Governance and Administration (IGA), Access Management (AM), Privileged Access Management (PAM), and Network Access Control (NAC).
Here is a closer look at each pillar and how it helps organizations to develop secure, compliant, and highly efficient access management systems.
Identity Governance and Administration (IGA)
Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) governs an organization’s various user identities and access rights. It begins by defining and controlling who will be granted access and what they will be permitted to do with it, as this may change from user to user.
IT experts must also define the policies and procedures that will be implemented to manage these rights. IGA can be used to establish automated workflows for entitlement management, role-based access control (RBAC), access request management, and provisioning and de-provisioning.
By incorporating practices such as segregation of duties and access reviews, these solutions can also be used for fraud and error prevention and compliance management.
Access Management (AM)
Access Management encompasses the technologies and processes an organization will use to verify and enforce user access to each resource.
Multifactor authentication (MFA), role-based access control (RBAC), and single sign-on (SSO) all form part of the access management pillar and ensure that users are authenticated and authorized before they can access any systems and the data they contain.
This pillar is important in maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of an organization’s most sensitive information while ensuring users enjoy a seamless experience.
Privileged Access Management (PAM)
The Privileged Access Management (PAM) pillar focuses on any special requirements connected to managing privileged accounts for the organization, such as those assigned to administrators and other individuals given greater access rights.
Because there is a higher risk involved if any of these accounts become compromised, privileged access management solutions serve to give privileged accounts secure access that is supported by features such as monitoring and recording.
This ensures that privileged access is only granted when essential and then entirely revoked when the task has been completed to minimize the attack surface for potential cybersecurity breaches and threats.
Network Access Control (NAC)
Network Access Control (NAC) relates to the security policies used on all devices that may try to access a network’s resources. These policies ensure that only authorized and compliant devices can connect.
This protects against potential threats and other types of unauthorized access, such as users attempting to connect with devices that do not meet minimum security standards.
In addition to analyzing and enforcing device compliance using detailed security policies, NAC solutions can manage guest networking access and offer IT teams valuable insight into which devices are connected to a network and what activities they are carrying out.
Benefits of Identity and Access Management
These four pillars work together to ensure organizations can take advantage of the many benefits offered by robust identity and access management. Here is a brief look at the advantages of an effective IAM system.
Improved Security
With the four foundational pillars firmly in place, IAM systems can mitigate the risks associated with a user’s credentials being stolen or otherwise misused.
Using multifactor authentication and enforcing strict password policies makes unauthorized access less likely and ensures that sensitive data is protected from potential breaches.
Better Efficiency
IAM systems automate tasks related to identity and access management. They reduce the manual workload of IT staff and the possibility of human error.
By controlling user access and life cycles and streamlining onboarding and offboarding, IAM can lead to a noticeable improvement in operational efficiency.
Remote Work Support
Remote work and hybrid working arrangements are becoming increasingly popular in the post-pandemic era, and IAM has become indispensable for ensuring that employees, partners, and contractors can access the resources they need from wherever they are without compromising security.
Improved Compliance
Businesses in all industries must contend with a range of exacting standards and regulations, such as HIPAA and GDPR. IAM can help ensure that organizations remain fully compliant with all applicable legal standards by generating a clear trail of which users accessed which systems and what activities they conducted. This can prove useful for audits and other challenges related to demonstrating compliance.
Discuss Your Goals With the Identity and Access Management Professionals
Is your network truly secure? To ensure your organization’s systems are fully protected in today’s constantly evolving threat landscape, you need robust identity and access management solutions.
Reach out to Advantage Technology to schedule a consultation to discuss your security goals and concerns today.
