Remote work is the new norm in the corporate world after the COVID-19 pandemic. As more and more organizations have adopted the remote and hybrid work culture, the threat of sophisticated and aggressive cyber attacks is greater than ever. Businesses need to take preventive steps to protect their critical assets.
And it’s not just the mere threat of hackers, strict compliance regulations and policies concerning remote work have added to the pressure on organizations. With such considerations, businesses are forced to think beyond the realm of the conventional perimeter-based security model. Such a security framework is no longer adequate for safeguarding critical data from unauthorized access and ensuring regulatory compliance as well. Businesses are now shifting to identity-based security measures that are more effective as a complete security strategy. This blog is all about identity and access management and why it is necessary for businesses. Read ahead to find out!
What is access management?
Identity and access management is a digital framework that consists of business processes, technologies, and policies that simplify the management of digital identities for businesses. To be precise, access management allows only authorized users to gain access to online resources. The access is granted based on assigned roles and responsibilities, or the principle of least privilege which limits access to what’s strictly necessary to complete the task.
Access management systems in the USA are implemented to mitigate the risks involved with unauthorized access, insider threats, data breaches, system hacking, etc. It also helps streamline operational activities while reducing administrative overheads. It is observed that organizations that implement access management systems in the USA can reduce their expenditure on data breaches by a considerable amount.
Identity and access management systems are highly recommended for medium-sized businesses if they do not want to spend a fortune in case of security breaches or hacking. Deploying an IAM is the most cost-effective decision you can take for the ultimate security of your digital infrastructure.
Why do medium-sized businesses need an Identity and Access Management system?
If you want to discover why an Identity and Access Management system is a must-have solution for medium-sized businesses, here are the primary reasons you need to see!
Improved data security
Access management allows organizations to control user access in their digital landscape. This helps prevent data breaches, identity theft, malware, phishing attacks, ransomware, and illegal access to critical corporate data. It further avoids the circulation of compromised security credentials and remains compliant with data security policies and regulations.
Streamline IT operations
Whenever there is a change or update in security policy, all access privileges are modified across all departments, devices, and branches at the same time. Access management software helps reduce the total number of tickets sent to the IT helpdesk for resetting passwords. Usually, access management systems in the USA are cloud-based, and this feature makes the implementation of security measures easier via regular devices and browsers.
Ease of access
Access management systems render modern authentication methods like passwordless authentication, biometric authentication, smart authentication, hardware-based authentication, etc. This enables staff and end-users to acquire access to the digital system through convenient means, irrespective of location, time, or device used.
Reduce human errors
The identity and access management system helps companies eliminate permission errors and manual accounts as the IT department does not have to manage access rights manually. Also, there is no risk of careless staff members making mistakes that can lead to losses.
Improved resource access
Users get access to resources through a centralized platform. Single Sign-On or SSO technology simplifies the process for them as they do not have to go through various security systems. They only have to log in once, so getting to the resources they need becomes a convenient process.
Efficient management across devices and browsers
Cloud applications are convenient as they can be accessed from any device with internet availability. However, too many applications mean too many URLs and passwords which are difficult to remember. This aspect is cumbersome for IT employees, especially when a huge number of users use their mobile devices.
A cloud-based identity and access management system can help solve this issue. It allows users to log in to all their cloud applications with a single password. With this one password, they can work on both computers and mobile phones.
Improves productivity
Access management systems are usually automated and AI-driven. Plus, they are equipped with understandability of security configurations making user authentication and identity management simple. These solutions improve productivity and efficiency by automating critical tasks like managing user accounts, passwords, authentication, and access permissions.
Some access management systems foster machine learning that helps in threat identification and leverages risk-based authentication policies.
Minimized service cost
Investing in an access management system is just like investing in the business itself. The system does not require a huge on-premise infrastructure; this saves a lot on operational and maintenance costs. The secure IAM solution also prevents fraudulent actions and security breaches which further saves on additional costs related to rectification of such instances. A well-built and implemented access management system is highly beneficial for wiping out risks and service costs associated with data exploitation.
Saves administration time
It is difficult for the administration team to manage instances where users find it difficult to gain access to the required system. It requires administrators to do manual provisioning to push users to gain access to their required resources to perform their tasks. This may take several hours.
In the light of the above scenarios, access management comes to the rescue, making access to resources quick, smooth, and efficient. It enables organizations to have a manageable and flexible administration for building privileged groups, streamlining user registrations, and easily modifying access settings, etc.
Enhanced user experience
Access management removes the complexities related to manual processes. Users can easily manage their accounts due to the automation facilities. They can also perform tasks such as password resetting by themselves through self-service methods. The same password can be modified across all accounts, thus mitigating the risk of remembering multiple passwords. A well-deployed access management solution is intuitive and simple to use for the employees. It is great for offering an enhanced user experience so that all functions can be performed with ease.
Simplify audit and compliance reporting.
IAM helps significantly in simplifying audit and compliance reporting tasks. It aids businesses in streamlining the processes of documenting and showing compliance with regulatory needs. Automated access management solutions provide detailed user activity logs, allow organizations to demonstrate their compliance with regulatory guidelines, and also provide evidence for audits. IAM easy tracking of user access to different resources, such as time of logging in to the system and what actions were performed. This helps ensure accountability and transparency.
Support remote work
Medium-sized industries usually have hybrid work cultures that support remote work most of the time. Access management is a great catalyst to support remote work as it offers secure access to resources from any location, at any time. A dynamic IAM solution ensures organizations that only authorized users can gain access to business resources, even when logging in to the system from outside the corporate network.
How does Identity and Access Management help control access in an organization?
Identity and Access Management is responsible for overseeing and regulating user access to resources, systems, data, and applications in an organizational framework. It performs a series of processes to authenticate users, manage their access requests, and ensure that only authorized individuals can get access to specific corporate resources.
Here is a breakdown of the series of steps that show how the Identity and Access Management system works in the landscape of access control:
User authentication
The IAM solution initiates the process with user authentication. It verifies the identity of the user who is trying to gain access to the corporate resource.
The user tries to log in with secure login credentials, usually usernames, passwords, or more sophisticated methods such as multi-factor authentication or MFA for extra security.
Authorization and permissions
After the authentication of the user, the access management system defines the limit to which he will be granted access based on predetermined roles, attributes, and policies.
This procedure ensures that only legitimate users gain access to specific resources, applications, systems, or data that is relevant to their organizational roles.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Identity and access management systems usually implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), which refers to assigning predetermined roles to employees based on their responsibilities.
The predetermined roles are responsible for dictating permissions associated with certain job roles, streamlining access management, and ensuring the least privilege principle where users have limited and minimum access to resources as per the necessity of their task.
Lifecycle management
IAM fosters the management of user identities throughout their lifecycle in an organization. This means the system takes care of various aspects of user identities including onboarding new employees, updating permissions with changes in job roles, and quickly removing access when there is a change of role or onboarding of employees.
Audit and monitoring
Access management solutions come with regular audit and monitoring features that help track user activities, login attempts, changes to access permissions, etc. This allows organizations to monitor their access control infrastructure, detect potential security threats, adhere to regulatory policies, etc.
Integration with other systems
IAM systems are usually integrated with other systems in the organization’s digital architecture. It merges with systems such as directory services, HR databases, etc., to ensure accurate and updated user information. Such seamless integration is key to streamlining user roles and reflecting changes across all platforms at the same time.
Adaptive access
Advanced access management software incorporates adaptive access control which refers to actively adjusting access based on contextual factors, including time, location, and device used for authentication. This adds extra security layers by adapting to changing risks as they happen in real time.
Bottomline
eMudhra’s powerful access management platform provides the best user control facilities. You can actively control your applications, devices, networks, etc in your digital framework. Our efficient IAM tool allows you to seamlessly allocate, change, or withdraw access to resources or applications from our user-friendly dashboard. We offer a centralized approach that guarantees complete control over users accessing your vital data and systems.
eMudhra’s dynamic and robust IAM solution is the key to an effective tool that will empower your IT department and enhance its productivity. What sets eMudhra’s sophisticated access management solution apart is the fact that it offers unmatchable security measures, streamlined access control, and simplifies self-service request access while ensuring regulatory compliance. Feel free to talk to our team of experts who can guide you with a customized plan for your organization. You will surely witness an extraordinary solution that will elevate your IAM practices to a phenomenal level.
