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What is identity and Access Management?

Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a critical component of modern IT infrastructure, ensuring that the right individuals have access to the right resources at the right times, for the right reasons.

Introduction to IAM

Identity and Access Management, usually abbreviated to IAM, is an IT discipline and a category of software solution concerned with managing user access to sensitive corporate resources including databases, applications, systems, devices, and physical resources such as buildings and rooms.

As technology landscapes become more complex, with more devices, more applications and more data, there is a growing need for assurance that these resources can only be accessed by the right individuals, at the right times and for the right reasons. IAM systems accomplish this through a process of authentication, authorization, and access control. Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of an individual or system requesting access to a resource. This can be done through various means such as passwords, biometric data, or security tokens. Once the identity is verified, the user then needs to be authorized for specific actions within the resource. Authorization involves determining what level of access a user should have based on their role or permissions. Finally, access control ensures that only authorized individuals are granted access to resources.

There are many benefits to implementing an IAM solution in an organization. Firstly, it improves security by ensuring that only authorized users have access to sensitive resources. This helps prevent data breaches and unauthorized use of company information.

Access Management vs. Identity Management

While Identity Management confirms 'who' the user is, Access Management ensures they can access only the resources they're entitled to.

 

IAM essentially comprises two core disciplines:

Identity Management

Identity Management focuses on the creation, management, and authentication of user identities within an organization. It is essentially responsible for answering the 'who' when accessing systems. This includes defining and managing user roles, permissions, and privileges.

Identity Management typically involves creating and maintaining a centralized directory of users, which are often linked to specific applications or systems. The goal is to provide a single source of truth for all user identities in an organization, streamlining access management processes.

Key Components:

  • User Provisioning - Ensures the right access levels are set when employees join, change roles, or leave the company.

  • Authentication - Verifies the identity of users through methods like passwords, biometrics, or two-factor authentication (2FA).

  • Directory Services - Maintains centralized user data repositories for efficient identity tracking and access control.

Benefits:

  • Simplifies the user onboarding/offboarding process.

  • Reduces password management challenges by implementing single sign-on (SSO).

Example Use Case: When an employee is hired, Identity Management ensures they are provisioned with appropriate system privileges relevant to their role. Similarly, their access is revoked promptly when they leave, reducing security risks.

Access Management

A framework for defining, assigning, managing and administering user access rights to organizational resources, as well as authenticating users when they access those resources. The A in IAM can sometimes refer to “authentication” rather than “access”. While many software solutions exist for identity and access management, a lot of them are targeted primarily at large organizations. The result is that smaller and midsize organizations often resort to manual methods of managing user identities and access rights, such as using spreadsheets to keep records of users and their access privileges.

Access Rights Management (ARM) is the process of controlling and managing access to resources and information within an organization. ARM helps to ensure that sensitive information is protected and that only authorized users have access to it. 
Typical challenges which European organizations experience in relation to ARM include:

  • Limited tools available at the organization: access rights requests might be still done using email, MS Word and MS Excel templates, with no single point where all records are maintained.
  • Difficulty to enforce and manage approval chains with flexibility.
  • Difficulty to audit changes or updates to information related to approvals, entitlements or ownership's.
Key Components of Access Management

  • Authorization - Defines what actions are permissible for each user group.

  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) - Limits access based on job responsibilities to reduce unnecessary exposure to sensitive systems.

  • Policy Enforcement - Ensures organizational access rules and conditions are consistently applied.

Example Use Case: A senior accountant might be authorized to access payroll systems but restricted from viewing engineering project files.

Benefits of using IAM solutions

IAM solution offers improved identity and access rights management as well as lower costs and greater time efficiencies.

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Streamlined Identity and Access Management

 

Modern IAM systems provide easy to use self-service portal for access right requests, removals, and approvals (which can be expanded to other IT & enterprise services), increasing efficiency.

What challenges do organizations address with IAM solutions?

IT and security teams are looking for a better way to manage and automate access and identities as manual methods become too difficult and risky. There is growing pressure to introduce IAM practices that are fit for purpose in a new type of work environment, characterized by:

flexibility-illustrationMore flexibility in the workforce

Temporary and part-time employment was already increasing in Europe prior to the pandemic, with 14.8 % of EU-27 workers in a temporary role and 18.3 % in part-time work in 2019, according to Eurostat.

The pandemic has driven further change in working lifestyles, with more people opting for flexible work and an increase in the freelance workforce in some European countries. Companies offering flexible work, job shares and contract/freelance work must be able to manage these different employee identities securely and efficiently.

 

threats-illustrationA growing threat landscape

The rise in use of mobile devices for work has expanded the threat surface far beyond the traditional perimeter of the organization. IT teams must now manage identity and access on a range of mobile devices, including personal tablets and smartphones.

Working environments are more open and interconnected, not only across employees, but also contractors, suppliers and partners, as well as IT system resources and physical resources, creating high levels of complexity and risk. Attacks are on the increase too, with hackers frequently targeting users to gain access to high value systems and data.

 

legislation-illustrationEvolving data protection legislation

The need to manage personal data in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as well as national data protection and cybersecurity laws and regulations, calls for a more robust approach to identity and access management.

 

 

remote-work-illustration

A sharp increase in remote work

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the trend towards hybrid working, with IT teams now expected to provide and manage access to core on-premises and cloud-based systems from remote and potentially insecure locations.

 

 

digitalization-illustrationThe need for digital transformation

Organizations of all sizes are looking for ways to increase efficiency and reduce costs through digitalization and automation of core processes. IAM is a strong candidate for transformation as manual methods take up IT time that could be spent on core business activities.

 

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Key Features of Identity and Access Management

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Single Sign-On (SSO) - Simplifies login processes by allowing users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials.

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Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) - Adds an extra layer of security by requiring two or more pieces of verification.

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Passwordless Authentication - Reduces the risks associated with passwords by adopting biometrics or other advanced verification methods.

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Audit and Reporting - Tracks user activities and access logs to identify anomalies and assist with audits.

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Matrix42 Identity Governance and Administration

Are you ready to streamline your identity management processes and fortify your organization's security? Discover how Matrix42 Identity Governance and Administration can empower your business with effortless compliance, seamless integrations, and proactive threat prevention.

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