You're worried about network security. Which IAM solutions are most likely to keep you safe?

In most of organizations, Employees, and consultants (using the organization's Laptops/Desktops) are managed through a centralized IAM Solution (Could be on-premises AD / Azure AD or equivalent). However, there are cases where 3rd Party Vendors / Consultants who are using their company-provided Laptops to carry out the work for customer organization can be managed through another IAM Solution and such access can be granted through a VDI-like solution. This will ensure that the User Directory and Password Management for such users are kept separate which will help the organization to protect themselves from Supply Chain Attacks.

Dumb question, but if you are worried about network security, shouldn't the answer include things relating to network security???? The only correct solution here is "Zero Trust Network" which ensures all connections are authenticated before connecting to the destination. And isn't talked about at all in this. All of these answers are concerned with user authentication, and nothing to do with network security.

Password management is crucial for maintaining the security of your online accounts and sensitive information. Here are some best practices: -Use Strong Passwords -Password Managers -Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) -Regularly Update Passwords -Secure Storage -Beware of Phishing -Avoid Reusing Passwords -Educate Users By following these practices, you can significantly enhance the security of your online accounts and minimize the risk of unauthorized access.

Best practice IAM is tiering your access at granular levels, only grant access high enough to what is required and implement a clear separation of access to critical infrastructure from common corporate systems. Multi factor authentication is the first step, having mixed method of physical and traditional multi factor authentication methods is key to making sure you are not simply compromised through a single method of access or fatigue based authentication breaches.

Not all MFA is created equal. Traditional MFA is no longer enough (e.g., SMS, phone call, push). And, if you're not coupling identity-based and device-based authentication, revisit your MFA strategy.

It is very important to consider the security of the users, it is great to design a safe and easy solution so that the user can easily maintain the security of his user account.

User authentication isn't everything - it's the ONLY thing. Without it, we don't know who the user is; we can't map that user to roles and entitlements; we can't monitor their risk context. We can't apply user-level security controls with any reasonable level of granularity (other than binary - all users or none - which is as coarse-grained as it gets). Much the same goes for devices and device identity.

Whenever we use MFA we need to use the following best practices methods What you know What you are What you have What you know examples are as following Password. Pin. Security questions. What you are examples are as following Finger print. Iris scan. Facial scan. Voice. What you have examples are as following Software based authenticator. [ Google authenticator, Microsoft authenticator etc ]. Hardware based authenticator.[yubico security key ]. Smart card. Combination of any of the examples from What you know, what you are and what you have provides the best security and not using multiple examples from the same method.

multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a pivotal component in bolstering network security, offering an additional layer of defense beyond traditional password-based authentication. By necessitating multiple forms of verification, such as codes sent to registered devices, biometric data, or physical tokens, MFA significantly reduces the likelihood of unauthorized access, even in the event of compromised passwords. However, it's essential to strike a balance between security and user experience, ensuring that MFA implementation remains user-friendly to encourage adoption and compliance while fortifying network defenses against increasingly sophisticated threats.

2FA has been till date, I believe , one of revolutionary technologies in cyberspace where more control and power is adhered to end user to protect their credentials!

Single sign-on (SSO) presents a compelling solution in enhancing network security by consolidating user authentication across multiple applications, thereby minimizing the proliferation of passwords and associated security risks. This streamlined approach not only reduces the burden on users but also facilitates centralized access control, enabling administrators to efficiently manage user permissions and mitigate potential security vulnerabilities across the network. However, while SSO offers notable security benefits, organizations must also prioritize robust authentication protocols and continuous monitoring to safeguard against evolving cyber threats and unauthorized access attempts.

Single sign-on (SSO) is an IAM solution that allows users to access multiple network applications or services with one set of credentials, instead of having to log in separately for each one. SSO can improve your network security by reducing the number of passwords users have to remember and use, minimizing the risk of password fatigue, errors, or breaches. SSO can also simplify the management of user accounts and permissions, as you can centrally control which applications or services users can access with their SSO credentials.

SSO enhances security by centralising user authentication, reducing the risk associated with password-related vulnerabilities. With SSO, users log in once and gain access to multiple applications and systems seamlessly, eliminating the need to remember and manage multiple passwords. This minimises the likelihood of weak or reused passwords. Additionally, SSO is an enabler for robust authentication mechanisms, such as MFA, RBAC, ABAC ensuring an extra layer of security. Centralised control allows administrators to enforce security policies consistently across all connected applications, promptly revoking access when necessary. Note that for priv access, PAM is recommended.

SSO is like the master key to all your favorite apps. You log in once, and boom, you're in everywhere. It's a lifesaver for users drowning in passwords and a dream for admins who want to keep a tight grip on who gets access to what.

RBAC is part of IAM , it’s an effective way of granting only bare minimum required access to users to do their job based on their role. It saves cost , faster , reduce more complexity and works effectively in large organisations. Birthright access helps user to start on day 1 of their work.

RBAC is the next step of identity after authentication. Authentication is how you validate a person is who they say they are, and RBAC (I.e. authorization) tells you what exactly they can access. Identity governance tools handle some elements of this through user entitlements (roles within apps), but you also need to understand the specific CRUD permissions within those roles, which is all handled by RBAC. The tough part is there there’s no standardization in building out RBAC structures in apps (unlike authentication which has standards like SAML and OIDC), so to really manage RBAC you need a solution dedicated to parsing permissions.

RBAC follows principle of least privilege, just providing with minium set of permission to work preventing over exposure of details, so I case of attack where your identies get compromised you still would hinder movement and limit blast radius

O grande desafio que enfrentei ao implementar RBAC, que acredito seja o mesmo em grande parte das empresas, foi uma base autoritativa que trouxesse informa??es precisas e atualizadas sobre as fun??es de cada individuo. Em muitas empresas a troca / altera??o de fun??es é dinamica e as vezes temporária e a solu??o de IAM precisa receber e tratar essas situa??es de forma a n?o prejudicar o negócio. Um ótimo alinhamento entre as as áreas de negócio e o RH s?o fundamentais para o sucesso na implanta??o de Controle de acesso baseado em fun??o

RBAC is essential to network security. Separation of duties and least privilege should be the cornerstones of of your network security posture. All access to network resources should be managed by need and role.

PAM, like RBAC, is critical to securing the network layer. Admin/Root and other privileged accounts should be locked down and used only in break-glass situations where there is ample logging and visibility into the actions performed by the user.

The philosophy at the heart of PAM—limiting privileged access to the bare minimum necessary—embodies the principle of least privilege, a concept as elegant as it is effective. This principle does not imply a lack of trust but rather a conscious acknowledgment of the complex risk landscape where even well-intentioned actions can inadvertently lead to security breaches.

Privileged access management (PAM) is should be used with Just In Time (JIT) so that administrative access is only used when it is needed & is not lying with support folks all the time. It should be configured with Multifactor Authentication (MFA).

Least privilege is a vital pillar of a zero trust strategy. Implementing zero trust requires some type of PAM solution. The challenge with most PAM systems is that they only work with applications that support standards like SSO and SCIM. For your nonstandard apps (which are likely a significant portion of your app estate and don't only include legacy apps), look for solutions supporting both standard and nonstandard (disconnected) apps. Otherwise, nonstandard apps will be a hole in your zero trust strategy.

Privileged access management (PAM) stands out as a crucial IAM solution focusing on users with elevated network access, like system administrators and managers, who wield significant control over sensitive data. Given their elevated permissions, these users pose heightened security risks, making PAM essential for enforcing strict access controls, monitoring activities, and implementing temporary access measures to mitigate potential threats and vulnerabilities. By adhering to the principle of least privilege and closely monitoring privileged activities, PAM plays a pivotal role in fortifying network security against internal and external threats.

Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD): Azure AD is a cloud-based IAM service that offers a wide range of features including single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and conditional access policies. It integrates well with Microsoft's cloud services and supports a broad ecosystem of third-party applications. Okta: Okta is a highly scalable IAM solution that provides cloud-based identity management and access control. It features SSO, MFA, lifecycle management, and identity governance, making it a solid choice for businesses looking for comprehensive

As is so often seen through publicized breaches, Identity Governance is a critical failure point in a company's defense against attackers. All too often, I see companies with unstructured or nonexistent identity lifecycle management. It's important that this access management exist in all areas where resources are accessed, whether that is test, staging or production. Frequently I've seen investments made into controls for production, while staging and test environments are neglected. Identity Governance is only effective if it is all-inclusive.

Identity governance is pivotal in modern cybersecurity strategies, serving as a comprehensive framework for managing user access throughout their lifecycle within an organization. By centralizing identity management processes and access controls, identity governance solutions not only enhance security but also streamline compliance efforts. From my perspective, integrating identity governance into an organization's cybersecurity infrastructure is essential for maintaining data integrity, minimizing risk exposure, and ensuring regulatory adherence in today's digital landscape.

Threats to identity due to a lack of governance and control strategy have devastating consequences. There the government aspect should account for the adoption of a Zero Trust Strategy coupled with an extensive external visibility with intelligence. While many organizations have or are thinking about starting their Zero Trust journey, it is fundamental that existing tools and processes are effectively and efficiently governed in order to enforce permission accordingly. With the increased adoption of remote work and usage of cloud applications, the perimeters extend beyond the corporate network or VPN tunnels. Therefore identity governance and its dynamic integration with the security stacks through automation is critical.

Identity Governance is another crucial IAM solution that plays a significant role in network security. Identity governance tools, as I've encountered during my career, automate identity provisioning and deprovisioning, certification, attestation, and reporting. These aspects are essential for ensuring efficient and secure management of user identities and access rights. The automation of these tools significantly enhances an organization's ability to maintain network security by ensuring that the right individuals have access to the right resources at the right times.

There is no one solution .. Adopting a principle of least privilege, strong authentication mechanisms, regular audits, and proper monitoring are key components of a robust IAM strategy. Consider frameworks like Zero Trust for a comprehensive security model. It's crucial to tailor IAM solutions to your organization's unique requirements and stay updated on industry best practices.

IAM is never about the technical solution, rather about capturing, supporting and enhancing business operations. Without a clear understanding of the business operations and its challenges, no solution will deliver value, but rather increase hurdles to the business operations. On the other hand, carefully understanding and mapping the business operations can be supported and enhanced by even mediocre IAM technology

Embrace Zero Trust if you already haven't. It is perhaps the most significant information security paradigm in the last 20 years. ZT recognizes the realities of modern IT (chief among them: the increasingly porous network borders due to B2B integrations and cloud computing, the risks posed by malware and ransomware, the impact of Zero-Day exploits, etc.) and takes them into account.

Identity Access Management (IAM) is a key element in the Zero Trust Security Framework. Our Users are our first line of defense and IAM ensures that they are authenticated and authorized securely. Identity Access Management (IAM) systems are essential in cloud-based applications. A well-implemented Identity Access Management (IAM) helps prevent identity-based attacks, data breaches, etc.

IAM solutions should automate the initiation, capture, registration, and management of user identities and associated access permissions. Products should include a centralized directory service that scales as a business grows. This central directory prevents credentials from being accidentally logged into files and sticky notes when employees try to deal with uploading multiple passwords to different systems. Therefore, IAM software should make the process of creating and setting up user accounts easy. The product should reduce the time required with a controlled workflow that reduces potential errors and abuse while allowing for automated accounting. IAM software should also allow administrators to instantly view and change access rights.