How Can IAM Improve Business Security?
There are numerous reasons why IAM is beneficial to businesses. For one, it ensures compliance with data privacy regulations. These apply to industry-specific and federal regulations and ensure that organizations have verified access to management policies to avoid potential fines and penalties. Second, if an organization uses a cloud provider without adequate security policies, IAM can step in. Third, if a cloud provider does offer identity and access management capabilities, an enterprise can rely on IAM for an additional layer of security.
Given the vast number of devices and software that make up a modern digital work environment, all requiring authentication, IAM can make any sign-in process smoother by unifying identity checks across devices.
LEARN: Find out how IAM helps organizations safeguard against security gaps.
“Often, as enterprises have added and built new applications, tools and services, their users end up with records and account information distributed in numerous locations. This creates very real challenges,” says Gallus. “Unifying identity allows organizations to centralize management of accounts, access and privileges.”
But most important, IAM helps IT leaders improve security. With more sophisticated risk management, leaders have greater insight into a business’s attack surface. “Robust IAM is one of the keys — if not the key — to establishing a consistent security posture. Knowing who is accessing your resources, when, and with what rights and entitlements is fundamental to maintain confidentiality,” says Galluzzo.
How AI Is Improving Identity Access Management
The use of artificial intelligence enhances that capability further. If paired with IAM technology, it can, based on its programmed knowledge of a user’s existing behavior and access, proactively monitor for unusual behaviour. For example, excessive failed login attempts or attempts from unknown locations and devices may indicate a threat. Artificial intelligence-driven IAM also can learn information on users quickly through a process called progressive profiling.
“Over time, the organization can progressively gain more information to confidently confirm the identity of the individual,” says Galluzzo. The hope is that AI would understand what a user needs to access a system and let the user do so instantly, because all back-end authentications would occur unseen. This creates less friction for employees and solidifies security.
CLARIFY: Deepen your understanding of security and passwords.
Ultimately, that is the core component of IAM. “The more robust and discreet your identity and access management tools are, the more effective you can be,” says Galluzzo.
“Figuring out how to orchestrate and manage those sets of tools to achieve different outcomes is an important capability that organizations need to have. Particularly in the modern world.”
