You need to improve your network security. What are the best Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions?

Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a security and business discipline that includes multiple technologies and business processes to help the right people or machines to access the right assets at the right time for the right reasons, while keeping unauthorized access and fraud at bay. In today's world, companies have extended their network perimeter, they have the need to allow and control access to this perimeter of their own assets, third parties and customers, so the zero trust vision is essential. in this paradigm it is important to facilitate the connection and at the same time the governance of identities to facilitate business progress.

Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a solution for managing user access and identity in IT resources (such as systems, applications and networks). Identity and Access Management solutions have the ability to identify, authenticate, and grant appropriate access rights to users who will use these IT resources. This solution is able to ensure that the user who accesses the IT resource is the right person, accesses it at the right time and also has the right goal.

IAM is a subset of IGA. While Identity is the perimeter we must defend with IAM, governing that and ensuring that people have the right access at the right time for the right reason takes takes more than IAM. Identity Governance and Administration matures traditional IAM practises and adds auditing and recertifications to ensure that all access is verified, approved and audited.

In the current scenario, the companies/organisations are following RBAC (Role-based Access Control. The access control is implemented on the basis of roles and responsibilities of an employee which can change depending on the scenarios and job roles. So, here comes the dependable context for regular review and management of the access control over the organisation. IAM broadly manages and maintains the roles and access of the users in the overall system. Access for new users, access revoke of resigned or past employees, edit or update on existing access, enforcement of access policies, regular review of access and its alignment with job roles, etc are the major roles accomplished using IAM solutions.

The best solution is always arguable, there are plenty available solutions, while the best is the one covering requirements of the organization, covering its usecases, and integrations, while at the same time it has to consider future vision, being reasonable to operate, and for sure under acceptable cost.

IAM is a foundational element of cybersecurity strategies, providing organizations with the tools and processes needed to manage and secure identities, control access to resources, and comply with regulatory requirements. It is a proactive approach to cybersecurity.

IAM is crucial for security, compliance, and efficiency in IT. It ensures only authorized users access resources, reducing breaches. IAM helps comply with regulations, simplifies access management across systems, and automates user lifecycle processes. Features like single sign-on and multi-factor authentication enhance user experience and mitigate risks. Scalable and cost-efficient, IAM supports business growth while streamlining operations and reducing security incidents.

IAM solutions are going to be helpful for maintaining the CIA (i.e. confidentiality, integrity and availability) triad of information. Also aiding by keeping a log of the access and change management of information. IAM solutions further contribute to compliance across various mandates, fetching customer confidence.

Any IAM solution must have both governance and operational security functions, IAM is the base for any security architecture and must be the first thing you should think about to achieve your organization goals such as: - Zero Trust Access - SSO - User Access and Governance - Cloud Access and management Etc… In a summary, IAM one of most important biller in a solid security architecture

? Use robust authentication methods (such as passwords, biometrics, and MFA) to ensure verified user access. ? Follow the principle of least privilege by granting only the minimum necessary access. ? Automate provisioning to minimize errors and make tasks more efficient. ? Simplify authentication by implementing SSO or federated identity. ? Enable self-service portals for users to manage their passwords, reducing the need for IT support. ? Maintain detailed access records to comply with auditing requirements. ? Enforce security policies, like password complexity, to meet ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR standards.

As with any technology driven problem the first question is simple “are you using what you currently have to the furthest degree?” Most orgs layer on new tools with current tools sitting at 50-60% implementation. Do the research, experiment (in development environments of course), and find those key, if somewhat hidden) configuration options. They may save you a lot of time, money, and complexity.

Okta: Versatile cloud IAM with SSO, MFA, etc. Azure AD: Ideal for Microsoft ecosystem, advanced protection, hybrid support. Google Cloud Identity: Scalable IAM for Google Cloud and others, SSO, MFA. IBM Security Identity and Access Assurance: Comprehensive IAM for complex enterprises, high security, compliance. Ping Identity: Flexible IAM for hybrid IT, SSO, MFA, access security. CyberArk: Privileged access management for high compliance industries. SailPoint: Identity governance for access control, certification, roles, compliance. ForgeRock: Comprehensive platform for identity management, governance, access, directories.

What is the use case, what's the reason for purchase, what other tech do you have, what is your budget, do you have time to implement properly, what are your compliance and regulatory requirements? Another pointless question that offers nothing. Like asking what is the best car?

In my experience evaluating how well the IAM solution aligns with the organization's existing infrastructure and future growth plans is crucial.

For security through Identity and Access Management (IAM), top solutions include Okta, Microsoft Azure Active Directory, Ping Identity, IBM Security Identity Governance and Intelligence (IGI), ForgeRock Identity Platform, OneLogin, and SailPoint IdentityNow. These platforms offer features like single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and identity governance to manage user access securely and efficiently. However one need to choose based on integration, scalability, and compliance needs.

In my opinion i think the question should be what’s the best IAM “for” you? When it comes to securing your environment there is no “one size fits all “. Don’t get lazy and just buy the most expensive solution out there, know what you have, know the value of what you have, do some risk management. Discuss controls with concerned people. Put few selection criteria. Measure. Plan, implement, assess. Improve. That’s it

As an IAM expert, and senior consultant, I would stress the ease of management , deployment of new users, removal of credentials, granular least priviledged management and federation of identity providers and identiity realms. Meaning ; It is not only finding the best solution to match for your IT and business needs, It is not only matching the best solution per sub environment within the business, i.e. OT/IT/IoT etc., It is finding an easy way to federate all of these different identities and identity providers into one pane of glass, thus highten your security level, reduce your attack surface, automate policy enforcement and change management, and finally make the business run smoother, faster, and far more secured.

While there are many things to consider, some I find most helpful are integration, identity lifecycle management, regulatory compliance, and business continuity. Integration ensures that IAM systems work smoothly with your existing technologies. Identity lifecycle management means managing user access from start to finish, including adding, changing, and removing access as needed. Regulatory compliance ensures that IAM follows the rules and laws about data security that are specific to your organization's needs. Business continuity is having plans in place to keep your IAM systems running, even if something goes wrong. These aspects all help keep things organized, secure, and in line with the rules for protecting your organization's data.

While choosing an IAM solution, you should consider: 1. Compatibility: The IAM solution must be compatible with your existing infrastructure and systems. 2. Scalability: As your business grows, the solution should be able to scale accordingly. 3. Compliance Needs: Check if the IAM solution helps meet any regulatory compliance needs for your industry. 4. Cost: Analyze total cost including initial set-up, ongoing maintenance, and potential upgrade costs. ? 5. Customer Support & Training Resources: See if the provider offers quality customer support and training resources. 6. Integration Capabilities: Ensure it can integrate tightly with other security systems such as firewalls or data loss prevention systems.

Taking the time to thoroughly assess factors will help you select an IAM solution that aligns with your organization's needs, enhances security, and facilitates efficient identity and access management. Additionally, consulting with key stakeholders and involving IT, security, and compliance teams in the decision-making process is crucial for success.