At the turn of every new year, the number of data breaches and cyber-attacks globally increases by alarming proportions, disrupting the safety of the expanding digital ecosystem. As a result, providing users with access to IT systems and ensuring the deployment of high data safety protocols remains a crucial mission for every organisation.
The concept of ensuring that the right users gain access to the necessary systems and limiting such access from unauthorised users is the foundational drive behind identity and access management.
In this post, we will define identity and access management and expound on everything you need to know about IAM. So if you’re wondering what is CIAM, then read on
What Is Identity and Access Management?
Identity and Access Management, denoted as IAM, is a digital framework designed to define and implement user identities and roles in an IT network. In this case, the IT network encompasses users like employees, partners, and customers and access devices, such as sensors, smartphones, and computers.
Since each user bears a unique identity, IAM assigns one digital print per user, authenticates them for system accessibility, and limits their access to IT resources. Technically, IAM software enhances oversight of user activities throughout their lifecycle in the specified IT infrastructure.
Because the solution links users and an organisation’s digital assets, IAM is fundamental to every company’s security program.
How IAM Works
Identity and User Management functions by a centralised technology designed to perform the following tasks.
- User Identity Management
IAM facilitates the creation, modification, and deletion of users existing in a database. The system can also add new users or provide specified users with privileged access to the organisation’s resources. - Authentication
IAM identifies and confirms whether individuals requesting access to a system are who they claim to be. - Authorisation
Authorisation involves verifying whether a user has permission to access an IT resource at the level that they are entitled to. - Provisioning
Provisioning is the process of assigning appropriate rights to specified users at a given time. Here, IAM creates access levels that define which tools should be accessed by which users. - Deprovisioning
This is the removal and deletion of user rights and permissions from specified tools and resources. Deprovisioning includes deleting user accounts from a system or reassigning permissions. - Reporting
IAM systems are also built with reporting mechanisms where the status of IT devices, access keys, passwords, and user credentials are determined for continued data safety.
Features of an Identity and Access Management System
Generally, IAM is a multifaceted solution consisting of a wide range of functionalities. Here is an outline of common IAM features.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Multi-factor authentication is the use of combined security passages to authenticate the identity of a user. In MFA, multiple security passages, such as fingerprints and passwords, are used with more than one identifying factor like biometrics, OTP code, and security questions to grant access. - Privileged Access Management (PAM)
This is a cybersecurity mechanism used to monitor, control, and secure users with elevated capabilities. In most cases, such user accounts belong to individuals with high administrative permissions in an organisation.
PAM is a crucial part of IAM that gives security departments full-fledged control over digital assets for increased transparency of how such assets are used.
- Single Sign On (SSO)
SSO is an IAM procedure where users gain access to multiple systems using a single ID. The idea is to allow users to log in to all the systems, databases, and applications associated with an organisation without logging in to each separately. The technology behind SSO generates an authentication token after the first login. Consequently, the system keeps a record of this digital token and considers the initial authentication sufficient to access applications and tools linked to it. - Dynamic Password Authentication
Dynamic Password Authentication is the use of constantly changing passwords to access a system or IT resource. The changing passwords are commonly known as One-Time Passwords (OTPs). In dynamic password authentication, strong passwords are created by security teams for all users. These passwords are subject to regular changes on pre-defined timelines. However, users do not necessarily need to know or remember these passwords. This is because an OTP that only works once is sent to you via text or email every time you initiate a login.
What is meant by identity and access management: Final Thoughts
Identity and Access Management is core to the security of business systems and data of any enterprise. Proper implementation of IAM enhances confidence that only authorised, authenticated users have access to your business resources. IAM is the building block to enforcing policies that restrict the access of critical information by unauthorised users.
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