Identity- and access management (IAM): securing sensitive information from unauthorized users.
The world of today is an interconnected one which makes companies, now more than ever, trust on technology and data. This dependence on technology lead to an increase in cyberattacks an security breaches A way of avoiding these security incidents is through Identity and Access Management (IAM). This blog covers the basics of IAM and its importance in the world of cybersecurity.
What is identity- and access management?
Identity- and Access Management refers to the process of managing digital identities and controlling access to resources within an organization’s network. This involves ensuring that the right people have access to the right information at the right time and that unauthorized users do not gain access to sensitive information. IAM includes various components such as authentication, authorization and user management.
IAM-process steps
- Provision of identities: The first step in the IAM-process is creating digital identities for employees, partners and customers. Data such as name, e-mail address, position and role are collected for this purpose.
- Authentication: The next step if verifying the identity of the user by authentication mechanisms such as passwords, biometrics or multifactor authentication (MFA).
- Authorization: When the identity of the user has been verifies, access to sources is granted based on role and responsibilities within the organization. In this step, permissions and privileges are assigned to users.
- Monitoring and reporting: The final step in the IAM process is to monitor user activity and generate reports on access and usage. This step helps detect any anomalies or suspicious activity that may indicate a security breach.
The importance of identity- and access management in cyber security
IAM plays a crucial role in maintaining the security of an organization’s network and data. Here are some reasons why IAM is important for cyber security:
- Improved security: IAM helps improving security by ensuring only authorized users have access to sensitive information. This helps prevent data breaches and security incidents.
- Compliance: IAM helps organizations to comply with various regulations such as HIPAA, PCI DSS and GDPR. These regulations require organizations to take measures to protect sensitive information and ensure that only authorized users have access.
- Increased efficiency: IAM helps increase efficiency by automating the process of creating and managing digital identities. This reduces the workload of IT teams and ensures that access is granted quickly and accurately.
- Cost savings: IAM can help organizations save money by reducing the risk of security incidents and data breaches. This can prevent costly legal fees, fines and reputational damage.
What do you need to do for identity and access management?
- Appropriate policies and processes: For secure access to systems and data, it is important to develop appropriate identity and access management policies and processes. The policy should clearly define who has access to what resources, why and under what circumstances. It should also take into account different types of users such as full-time and part-time staff, contractors, volunteers, students and visitors.
- Guidelines for acquiring audit data: The policy should include guidelines for acquiring audit records, how they are secured against tampering and identification of processes to be performed or authorized by more than one person. It is important to note that the policy should cover not only systems that an organization controls, but also all places where organizational identities may be used.
- Single sign-on (SSO): the use of organizational identity should be implemented for online services to help control access to those services and revoke access when someone leaves the organization. Temporary accounts created to test processes should also be removed or suspended when no longer needed.
Multifactor authentication, to improve the security of privileged accounts
To improve user account security, it is important to consider multifactor authentication (MFA) for all user accounts. It is important to choose authentication methods that are proportionate to the risk and support the ways people naturally work. User-to-service, user-to-device and device-to-service authentication should be considered when implementing MFA.
- MFA for online services: This has to be applied on all accounts for online services to protect against password guessing and theft. Users must have the ability to choose between different factors of self-authentication, such as SMS- or E-mail messages, biometrics or physical tokens, since none of these is a one-fits-all method.
- Password policy: Password policies should be implemented that balance usability and security. The goal should be to minimize the number and complexity of passwords users need to remember, for example, by using single sign-on or allowing password managers. This discourages insecure practices such as reusing passwords, choosing easy-to-guess passwords or writing them down.
- Technical security measures: Such as MFA, account restrictions or blocks, monitoring of suspicious behavior and preventing usage of weak passwords all have to be implemented to prevent password related attacks. References must be adequately protected, both at rest and during transfer, to ensure safety.
In conclusion, considering multifactor authentication for all user accounts, choosing appropriate authentication methods, implementing password policies and using technical controls are essential steps to improve user account security. By doing so, organizations can reduce the risk of unauthorized access and protect sensitive data.
In short…
Identity- and access management (IAM), is an essential part of any organization’s cyber security strategy. It helps prevent security incidents, improve compliance, increase efficiency and save costs. By implementing IAM, organizations can ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive information and reduce the risk of security breaches.
OpenSight Summer Series
During the OpenSight Summer Series, we publish weekly blogs that elaborate on the following topics:
- Risk management
- Engagement and training
- Asset management
- Architecture and configuration
- Vulnerability management
- Identity and access management
- Information security
- Logging and monitoring
- Incident management
- Supply chain security
By implementing the security measures outlined in these 10 steps, organizations can reduce the likelihood of cyberattacks and reduce the impact of potential incidents. Learn more about the OpenSight Summer Series here!
