How organizations can use Identity & Access Management (IAM)?
What is Identity & Access Management(IAM)?
IAM (identity and access management) is a set of corporate procedures, policies, and technologies that makes managing electronic or digital identities easier. Information technology (IT) administrators can regulate user access to key information within their organizations using an IAM architecture. Single sign-on systems, two-factor authentication, multifactor authentication, and privileged access management are examples of IAM systems. These technologies also allow for the secure storage of identity and profile data, as well as data governance capabilities that ensure that only necessary and relevant data is exchanged.
Example: A production operator may be able to read but not edit an online work procedure. A supervisor, on the other hand, may have the ability to not only view but also alter or create new files. If no IAM is in place, anyone can change the document, which could have severe consequences.
Why IAM is Important?
Access to company resources is under rising regulatory and organizational pressure for business leaders and IT teams. As a result, they can no longer allocate and track user credentials using manual and error-prone processes. IAM automates these processes and allows for extensive access control and auditing of all company assets, whether on-premises or in the cloud.
IAM is perfectly suited to the rigors of the current security landscape, with an ever-growing list of features such as biometrics, behavior analytics, and AI. IAM’s tight control of resource access in highly distributed and dynamic contexts, for example, is in line with the industry’s transition from firewalls to zero-trust models, as well as the security requirements of the Internet of Things.
IAM Benefits:
Enhances security & Productivity: Companies can prevent data breaches, identity theft, and unauthorized access to personal information by managing user access. IAM can guard against ransomware, hacking, phishing, and other types of cyber assaults by preventing the propagation of compromised login credentials and preventing unauthorized access to the organization's network.
Streamlines IT workload: All-access privileges across the business can be adjusted in one sweep whenever a security policy is amended. IAM can also reduce the number of password reset tickets made to the IT helpdesk. Some systems even have IT duties that are automated.
?Helps in compliance: Companies can rapidly comply with industry laws (such as HIPAA and GDPR) or apply IAM best practices. IAM systems assist businesses in complying with regulatory rules by allowing them to demonstrate that company data is not being exploited. Companies can also show that they can provide any data required for auditing on demand.
Allows collaboration: Outsiders (such as clients, suppliers, and guests) can access a company's network without risking security.
Improves user experience: SSO eliminates the need to input numerous passwords to access multiple systems. Users may no longer need to memorize complex passwords if biometrics or smart cards are used.
IAM Concepts & Terms:?
There are a few crucial phrases in the identity management field that you should know:
Access Management: The techniques and technology used to control and monitor network access are referred to as access management. Authentication, authorization, trust, and security auditing are all characteristics of the best ID management systems, which are available for both on-premises and cloud-based systems.
Active Directory(AD): For Windows domain networks, Microsoft created AD as a user-identity directory service. Despite being proprietary, Active Directory is included in the Windows Server operating system and hence widely used.
Biometric Authentication: A user authentication security technique that relies on the user's unique attributes. Fingerprint sensors, iris and retina scanning, and facial recognition are examples of biometric authentication technology.
Context-aware Network Access Control: Situation-aware network access control is a policy-based way of providing network resource access to users based on their present context. A user attempting to authenticate from an IP address that hasn't been whitelisted, for example, would be denied access.
Credential: A user's password, public key infrastructure (PKI) certificate, or biometric information is used as identification to obtain access to a network (fingerprint, iris scan).
Identity as a Service(IDaaS): Cloud-based IDaaS provides identity and access management capability to an organization's on-premises and cloud-based systems.
Identity Lifecycle Management: The term encompasses the complete range of processes and technology used to manage and update digital identities. Identity lifecycle management includes identity synchronization, provisioning, de-provisioning, and the continuing administration of user attributes, credentials, and entitlements.
Identity Synchronization: The process of ensuring that data for a given digital ID is consistent across numerous identity stores, such as those created as a result of an acquisition.
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol(LDAP): LDAP is an open standards-based protocol for managing and accessing distributed directory services like Microsoft's Active Directory.
Multi-factor Authentication(MFA): When more than one factor, such as a login and password, is required for network or system authentication, MFA is used. At least one further step is necessary, such as obtaining a code by SMS, inserting a smart card or USB stick, or passing a biometric authentication test, such as a fingerprint scan.
Best Practices of IAM:?
1. Identity as Primary security perimeter: Organizations should regard identity as the key security perimeter, rather than the traditional focus on network security. With the rise of cloud computing and the culture of remote working, network perimeters are becoming increasingly porous, and perimeter security is no longer effective. Centralize user and service identity security controls.
2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication: Multi-factor authentication (MFA) should be enabled for all users, including administrators and C-level executives. Instead of typical sign-in characteristics, it verifies many aspects of a user's identification before giving access to an application or database. Identity and access management requires multi-factor authentication.
3. Enable Single Sign-On: Single Sign-On (SSO) for devices, apps, and services must be implemented so that users can use the same set of credentials to access the resources they need, wherever and whenever they need them. Use the same identity solution for all your apps and resources, whether on-premises or in the cloud, to accomplish SSO.
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4. Implement Zero trust policy: Until every access request is confirmed, the zero-trust paradigm considers it a threat. Before granting authorization, access requests from both inside and outside the network are thoroughly validated, permitted, and reviewed for anomalies.
5. Enforce a strong password policy: Implement a company-wide password policy to guarantee that users create secure passwords. Ensure that staff changes their passwords regularly and that they do not use sequential or repetitive characters.
6. Secure Privileged Account: Protecting sensitive corporate assets requires securing privileged accounts. The risk of unauthorized access to a sensitive resource is reduced by limiting the number of users who have privileged access to the organization's key assets. You must protect privileged accounts from cybercriminals by isolating them.
7. Conduct regular Access Audits: Organizations must undertake access audits regularly to assess all permitted accesses and determine whether they are still required. These audits assist you to manage such requests as users frequently request extra access or want to cancel their access.
8. Implement passwordless Login: The process of authenticating users without the need for a password is known as passwordless login. It inhibits thieves from gaining access to a network by using weak and repeating passwords. Passwordless login can be accomplished using a variety of methods, including email-based, SMS-based, and biometrics-based login.
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Conclusion:
Many new IAM technologies are designed to reduce risk by storing personally identifiable information with the person who owns it, rather than distributing it across databases that are subject to breaches and theft. A decentralized identification system, for example, allows people to control and manage their own identities. Individuals can control how and where their data is shared, lowering risk and responsibility for businesses. Blockchain technology, which allows for the secure flow of data between individuals and third parties, is at the heart of this framework and others aimed at providing users more control over their data.
Some companies are moving toward a BYOI (bring your own identity) approach to IAM. BYOI, like single sign-on, decreases the number of usernames and passwords that users must remember, potentially reducing the number of vulnerabilities. BYOI can help businesses by allowing employees to use corporate IDs to access applications outside of the company.
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