Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a framework that helps IT teams manage user identities, meet compliance requirements, and automate access controls from a centralized location.
IAM is a technical solution that guarantees data security by ensuring the right people gain access to the right resources within a network or system. According to Gravitee, IAM framework can manage user identities across many platforms to help deal with compliance risks and security concerns of systems and data.
How Does IAM Work?
The Identity Access and Management (IAM) solution works in two main ways
Identity Management (Authentication)
IAM checks and verifies the identity of digital users to prove who they claim to be. IAM can also authenticate hardware and software within a network or system. The credential information of users is checked against an up-to-date database to establish a match.
Access Management (Authorization)
IAM systems can allow users access to selected information based on their level of clearance within an organization or business structure. Traditionally, all users logged into a system had all access to the entire information within a database.
However, with IAM, managers can limit the type of information logged-in users can have. The IAM filters out what users can and cannot do within a system or network, maintaining high-security practices.
Why Need IAM?
Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions are very critical to help established organizations and businesses. Here are the reasons why you need to turn to IAM solutions
- Enhanced IT security
- Stronger compliance
- Higher workforce productivity
- Reduced IT costs
Capabilities Of IAM
- Allow Or Block Access To Assets
IAM systems can filter individuals who can access protected applications and databases in a particular organization. The system uses its updated database to determine which people can access given data and information.
More sophisticated IAM systems can grant or deny access to protected data based on the location and time a user logs into the database.
- Restrict Platform Access
IAM solutions can significantly benefit organizations intending to restrict access to given information to a selected group of individuals. The IAM can determine which individuals can access confidential and critical information and platforms used for staging, developing, and testing services and products.
- Prevent Sensitive Data Transmission
IAM is a good data security system for organizations and companies dealing with sensitive data. The Identity management system restricts users’ activities and functions within a logged-in network, system, or database.
IAM can give or deny permission to users to change, create, or delete data. This guarantees high-level data security within a business or company. RBAC enabled can restrict the transmission and receiving of data outside the secured company’s system.
- Provide Reporting
A good IAM system can generate critical reports ensuring the organization or company remains compliant with data security and privacy regulations. IAM-generated reports can also capture security loopholes and risks within a network and system which help address data security concerns.
IAM can track and report on the frequently used resources by employees to give deeper insights into what to invest in for a productive workforce
Tools And Methods
One will need tools like provisioning software, password management, security-policy enforcement applications, identity repositories, and monitoring and reporting apps to implement IAM. The following are some IAM tools.
- Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication is using more than one method to authenticate the validity of a user’s credentials before giving access. The common combined authentication methods are passwords and usernames.
However, an additional authentication layer called a one-time password (OTP) method is also used. Other authentication methods use inherent factors, where users must provide additional biometric information to confirm identity.
- Single Sign-On
Single sign-on is an IAM solution that allows users to access a network or system using one set of identifiable credentials. SSO tool translates the credentials of an authorized logged-in user into other applications within the network or system without signing in to individual sites.
SSO ensures a seamless user login process and allows IT teams to regulate user access easily and set permissions.
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