Identity management and access management: we lift the veil on this corporate security challenge

As the digital transformation of businesses develops, identity management and access management are becoming processes that should no longer be neglected.

The increasing complexity and proliferation of digital tools, and the emergence of new ways of organising work, are leading many organisations to ask themselves how they can manage and secure access to their information systems. This is where identity and access management comes in, as both a process and a technological framework.

To give you a better understanding of this concept, let's take a look at its definition, as well as the software solutions that can effectively support companies in their identity and access management policy.

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Identity and access management: definition

What is identity and access management, or IAM?

To begin with, it is important to note that the concepts of identity management and access management are almost always associated. These terms therefore refer to all the activities of a company relating to the management of :

• employee authentication and access to the company's applications, networks and systems (identity part),
• authorisations and restrictions in relation to established identities (access).

To achieve this, IT departments rely on the definition of an internal policy, as well as an organisational and technological framework.

☝️ IAM is becoming increasingly widespread, particularly in a context where :

• technological environments are becoming increasingly complex and heterogeneous, due to the development of :
  • cloud computing
  • mobile computing
  • BYOD
  • employee mobility and teleworking, etc. ;
• the challenges of data protection and the associated regulatory obligations are intensifying;
• companies are looking to improve efficiency and productivity.

What activities are involved?

Identification

This refers to the creation of an employee's digital identity within the organisation, in order to assess their various access parameters.

Authentication

This takes place when the user actually wants to access the various resources. The standard procedure involves entering a user ID and password.

☝️ In view of the growing risk of fraud, companies are making increasing use of multi-factor authentication. New methods are emerging, such as identification by fingerprint or retinal scan.

Authorisation

Once the connection has been made, the identity previously established is used to define a certain level of authorisation. In short, this involves determining :

• an employee's access rights. They may, for example, access a system, but not some of its components,
• the actions they are entitled to carry out (consulting, modifying or deleting a file, for example).

User management

This activity, which is enabled by all good IAM software, involves integrating and deleting new users:

• internal, i.e. employees
• external, such as partners, customers, suppliers, etc.

The challenges and benefits of identity and access management

Some companies are still slow to introduce genuine identity management processes, and to deploy the tools needed to put them in place. The reason for this is that these changes require a certain amount of budget, and the benefits are not immediately perceptible.

And yet, access and identity management offers a host of benefits for organisations.

Security and confidentiality

The main advantage of IAM? Protecting companies from intrusions and cyber-attacks (ransomware, phishing, etc.) that could compromise the protection of their data.

What's more, some sensitive internal information cannot be revealed to all employees. Identity and access management therefore enables :

• more detailed administration of access
• and improved traceability.

Finally, these processes lead to harmonisation of IT security practices.

Increased productivity

IT services

Implementing an IAM policy means that access administration can be centralised and automated as far as possible, avoiding time-consuming manual adjustments.

This productivity gain is passed on to new recruits when they join the company. Thanks to the reduction in the time spent configuring their access to work tools, they become operational more quickly.

On the business and user side

However, identity and access management processes must above all be adapted to the simplicity needs of the business, and not just to the needs of IT departments.

Consequently, on the user side, systems are put in place to ensure that no time is wasted searching for user IDs. Authentication must remain as simple as possible. That's why most of today's technologies allow users to access all the company's applications using a single sign-on(SSO).

Commercial and competitive advantages

As we have already mentioned, IAM incorporates access management for external parties, such as customers or partners, into its processes, without compromising security.

This functionality is a real asset and added value for organisations, as it helps to :

• improving the customer and userexperience
• support collaboration with suppliers, service providers and other subcontractors.

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Identity and access management: what solutions exist?

There are a number of tools available to help IT departments put in place a solid identity and access management policy.

Let's take a look at the two main ones.

Full-featured IAM software

IAM software is an all-in-one identity and access management solution. They enable you to :

• streamline all processes, by providing technological support for the rules defined by the company,
• increase speed
• standardise practices.

Some key features of IAM software :

• identity management: development of authentication methods (two-factor authentication, SSO technology, etc.) ;
• access governance: defining rules and securing access to applications. A control and traceability system monitors movements and identifies risky behaviour;
• provisioning of user accounts: using a gateway with HR data, IT departments can categorise users more easily and quickly in order to assign them their own authorisation levels;
• central user directory: more and more software packages offer a directory, so that all data can be centralised and the user base can be viewed more easily;
• management of workflows and self-service: thanks to the introduction of workflows, employees can manage their needs (approval requests, for example) completely independently, without having to call on the IT department;
• software asset management: this involves securing software assets, as well as managing them in general (inventory, licence control, etc.).

Password managers

Increasingly present in companies, password managers fit in perfectly with IAM processes.

Key features of password managers include

• creating secure passwords and storing them in a digital safe;
• single sign-on: thanks to SSO technology, users no longer have to remember all their passwords. They can access all the organisation's applications using a single, encrypted identifier;
• secure sharing of identifiers: this feature simplifies collaborative working with people from outside the company;
• customisable access levels and authorisations;
• central user directory;
• governance of access and implementation of controls: some tools, such as LastPass, generate reports on the status of passwords used within the company. This enables administrators to identify risky behaviour and suggest areas for improvement.
  
  

Now you know why identity management and access management are becoming top priorities for organisations. Of course, introducing an IAM policy means rethinking internal processes and bringing about a change in employees' day-to-day practices by adopting new tools. But the long-term benefits are numerous, because data security and confidentiality have never been such important issues for businesses.