Technology - Aug 18, 2020
Identity management is the process for recognizing, authenticating and allowing access to applications, systems or networks by establishing user rights and limitations with recognized identities. Specialized access to software processes within an organizational system also come under Identity management. Identity management regulates a user’s access to systems, but also sets the level of access and permissions a user has on a particular system. For example, a user may have the authorization to access only a part of the system but not the entire system.
The main objective of identity management is to guarantee that only authenticated and authorized users are granted access to the specific applications, systems or IT environments. This includes provisioning the accounts for new employees, partners, clients and other stakeholders. Identity management also controls the authorizing system or network permissions for existing users and the exit of users who are no longer authorized to access organization systems.
Identity governance is also an important aspect of identity management. Identity governance includes the policies and processes regarding administration of roles and user access across a business environment. Identity governance is essential in efficiently managing role-based access management systems.
The Importance of Identity Governance
Identity management is associated with both security and efficiency of an organization and is a critical component of any organizational setup.
In many companies, users use their access privileges to do their tasks. If the privileges get compromised then cyber attackers can use this opportunity to gain access to organizations network and data. Organizations prevent such attacks by having a robust identity management system which safeguards them against incidents of hacking, ransomware, phishing and other malware attacks.
In fact, Identity management system adds a next layer of protection to organizational security by ensuring strict compliance to user access policies.
An identity and access management (IAM) system’s framework includes the policies and technology needed to govern electronic and digital identities. This will automate periodical validation of accounts and their entitlement privileges with fine-grained access reviews across diverse systems. Today, the IAM systems are mostly using the federated identity system which includes a single digital identity for authentication across multiple incongruent systems.
The single sign-on (SSO) systems significantly decreases the number of passwords; SSO works by creating an authentication token that can be recognized by different systems and applications. Single Sign-on systems (SSO’s) can combine with multifactor authentication to integrate organizational security policies and privileges, which will enable better fulfillment of roles by enterprises. In short, enterprises can use IAM to lower the risk of security breaches and at the same time enhance efficiency.
Identity Management as a Service
Identity management as a service is a cloud-based authentication mechanism developed and maintained by a vendor or systems Integrator (SI). In this setup, the identity management feature is being delivered to an organization through Cloud services by a third-party provider. We can think of Identity management as a service in the context of Email. For e.g. local emails such as Outlook operates on one own computer whereas Cloud email services like Gmail is delivered via a Cloud based connection.
The objective of Identity management as a service is to authenticate the users and deliver them the prescribed access to software, files or resources at right time. The Identity management as a service especially comes handy when operations are delivered on multiple devices, not necessarily connected by company’s internal LANs.
In such cases, a centralized cloud-based authentication is simpler to operate and can deliver the required access without glitches or hassles. This is especially true in modern times when workplace is increasingly going remote and companies want to have a robust and flexible identity management system without compromising on security. Identity management as a service provides an effective option to meet these requirements.
Applications
Identity management as a service can be leveraged for variety of applications. In fact, their usability spans across all aspects of identity services. Nevertheless, the cloud and remote aspect of Identity management as a service is highlighted in couple of key applications. One feature is ‘Adaptive multi-factor authentication’ which is used to authenticate users by asking them multiple factors. The access is then granted after evaluating risks presented by the user. This is more secure than single-factor authentication. Another key application of Identity management as a service is Single sign-on which permits user to access the authorized applications with just one sign-in.
Benefits
One of the biggest advantages of Identity management as a service is that it is cost effective. For e.g. managing services like Active directory domain services can be very expensive. The effort and price to purchase, install, upgrade and maintain the servers can take a big toll on your organization. You also need to regularly backup your data, manage hosting and then associate security features to those services. All this can be expensive, complicated and may burden you with unnecessary operational and management costs. With Identity management as a service, you get all the features of identity and access management with one simple subscription.
The return on investment (ROI) for Identity management as a service is also associated with the ease of handling of Identity services. Empowered by Cloud, Identity management as a service offers robust cybersecurity features and single sign in features; the entire process is seamless, secure and works for all devices and places of access.
ORSUS Identity Access and Governance
ISSQUARED’s ORSUS Identity Access and Governance (IAG) is a comprehensive and intelligent identity management platform that streamlines the process of managing identities and controlling their access, while improving operational agility and the overall security posture. It offers an unparalleled set of features to provide users the right level of access they need to enable them to stay productive, while supporting security, privacy and compliance mandates.
With ORSUS IAG you can,
Ensure only the right people access the right resources and applications at the right time.
Reduce IT burdens, costs and error-prone manual activities, thereby accelerating operational efficiency.
Tailor business processes based on your specific needs through workflows, templates and policies.
Deliver automation and enhance end-user productivity through self-service capabilities.
Improve risk and security posture by enforcing compliance controls and policies.
Contact Us
Interested in ORSUS IAG? Please reach out to one of our experts. We would be delighted to showcase the product and its features. You can reach out to us at mailto:sales@issquaredinc.com or call us at +1 (805) 480-9300.
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