What Is Identity and Access Management (IAM)?
Learn why IAM is a critical component of your network security.
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Identity And Access Management (IAM) Definition
Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a framework of policies, processes, and technologies that enable organizations to manage digital identities and control user access to critical corporate information. By assigning users with specific roles and ensuring they have the right level of access to corporate resources and networks, IAM improves security and user experience, enables better business outcomes, and increases the viability of mobile and remote working and cloud adoption.
Compromised user credentials are among the most common targets for hackers to gain entry into organizations’ networks through malware, phishing, and ransomware attacks. It is therefore vital for enterprises to safeguard their most valuable resources. Many are increasingly turning to Identity and Access Management (IAM) technology to protect their data and people.
How Identity And Access Management (IAM) Boosts Security
The core objective of an IAM platform is to assign one digital identity to each individual or a device. From there, the solution maintains, modifies, and monitors access levels and privileges through each user’s access life cycle.
The core responsibilities of an IAM system are to:
- Verify and authenticate individuals based on their roles and contextual information such as geography, time of day, or (trusted) networks
- Capture and record user login events
- Manage and grant visibility of the business’s user identity database
- Manage the assignment and removal of users’ access privileges
- Enable system administrators to manage and restrict user access while monitoring changes in user privileges
Role-based access control
IAM frameworks are not only crucial to controlling user access to critical information but also implementing role-based access control. This enables system administrators to regulate access to corporate networks or systems based on individual users’ roles, which are defined by their job title, level of authority, and responsibility within the business.
Automatic de-provisioning
An Identity and Access Management solution is also crucial to preventing security risks when employees depart a business. Manually de-provisioning access privileges to the apps and services the former employee used can often take time or even be forgotten entirely, leaving a security gap for hackers. IAM prevents this by automatically de-provisioning access rights once a user leaves the company or as their role within the organization changes.
Human and device identification
Digital identities do not just exist for humans, as IAM also manages the identity of devices and applications. This establishes further trust and provides deeper context around whether a user is who they say they are and the applications that users are entitled to access.
What Is Identity And Access Management Composed Of?
An IAM solution consists of various components and systems. The most commonly deployed include:
1. Single sign-on
Single sign-on (SSO) is a form of access control that enables users to authenticate with multiple software applications or systems using just one login and one set of credentials. The application or site that the user attempts to access relies on a trusted third party to verify that the user is who they say they are, resulting in:
Enhanced user experience
Reduced password fatigue
Simplified password management
Minimized security risks for customers, partners, and vendors
Limited credential usage
Improved identity protection
2. Multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication verifies a user's identity with requirements to enter multiple credentials and provide various factors:
- Something the user knows: a password
- Something the user has: a token or code sent to the user via email or SMS, to a hardware token generator, or to an authenticator application installed on the user’s smartphone
- Something specific to the user, such as biometric information
3. Privileged access management
Privileged access management protects businesses from both cyber and insider attacks by assigning higher permission levels to accounts with access to critical corporate resources and administrator-level controls. These accounts are typically high-value targets for cybercriminals and, as such, high risk for organizations.
4. Risk-based authentication
When a user attempts to log in to an application, a risk-based authentication solution looks at contextual features such as their current device, IP address, location, or network to assess the risk level.
Based on this, it will decide whether to allow the user access to the application, prompt them to submit an additional authentication factor, or deny them access. This helps businesses immediately identify potential security risks, gain deeper insight into user context, and increase security with additional authentication factors.
5. Data governance
Data governance is the process that enables businesses to manage the availability, integrity, security, and usability of their data. This includes the use of data policies and standards around data usage to ensure that data is consistent, trustworthy, and does not get misused. Data governance is important within an IAM solution as artificial intelligence and machine learning tools rely on businesses having quality data.
6. Federated identity management
Federated identity management is an authentication-sharing process whereby businesses share digital identities with trusted partners. This enables users to use the services of multiple partners using the same account or credentials. Single sign-on is an example of this process in practice.
7. Zero trust
A Zero-Trust approach moves businesses away from the traditional idea of trusting everyone or everything that is connected to a network or behind a firewall. This view is no longer acceptable, given the adoption of the cloud and mobile devices extending the workplace beyond the four walls of the office and enabling people to work from anywhere. IAM is crucial in this approach, as it allows businesses to constantly assess and verify the people accessing their resources.
Benefits Of Identity And Access Management Systems
Implementing an Identity Management system provides a wide range of benefits to organizations, such as:
- Secure access: Opening networks to more employees, new contractors, customers, and partners offers greater efficiency and productivity, but it also increases the risk. An IAM solution enables businesses to extend access to their apps, networks, and systems on-premises and in the cloud without compromising security.
- Reduced help desk requests: An IAM solution removes the need for users to submit password resets and help desk requests by automating them. This enables users to quickly and easily verify their identity without bothering system admins, who in turn are able to focus on tasks that add greater business value.
- Reduced risk: Greater user access control means reduced risk of internal and external data breaches. This is vital as hackers increasingly target user credentials as a key method for gaining access to corporate networks and resources.
- Meeting compliance: An effective IAM system helps a business meet their compliance needs amid a landscape of increasingly stringent data and privacy regulations.
IAM Implementation Guide
Consider business size and ype
Identity management systems are vital for businesses to automatically manage the identities and access privileges of users in various locations, computing environments, and on multiple devices, and IAM is equally effective for large enterprises as medium and small businesses. Solutions are available for large organizations and SMEs to pick and choose tools that simplify user access, remove reliance on passwords, and authenticate users wherever they are and on any device.
Create an IAM integration strategy
Common risks associated with implementing IAM are integrating the solution with existing solutions, making the move to the cloud, and employees using products and tools not approved by the organization, also known as Shadow IT. These can be avoided by fully embracing the move to IAM, putting the time and effort into establishing a cohesive identity management strategy, and encouraging collaboration across the business.
Fortinet Products and Services
Critical components of an IAM system that prevent businesses from falling foul of these risks include:
- Access management products that identify and manage users' identity and enable tools like single sign-on for cloud, network, and web resources
- Authentication processes, such as multi-factor authentication and risk-based authentication, that help users to easily verify their identity
- Password tokens that add extra security to simply using passwords alone
Discover the IAM products that will secure your business’s identity and access management process. Contact us to learn how Fortinet helps businesses with identity and access and to see some of our successful customer identify management examples.
Frequently Asked Questions About IAM
Why is Identity and Access Management Important?
Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a framework of policies, processes, and technologies that enable organizations to manage digital identities and control user access to critical corporate information.
How does IAM work?
By assigning users with specific roles and ensuring they have the right level of access to corporate resources and networks, IAM improves security and user experience, enables better business outcomes, and increases the viability of mobile and remote working and cloud adoption.
What is the core objective of Identity and Access Management?
The core objective of an IAM platform is to assign one digital identity to each individual or a device. From there, the solution maintains, modifies, and monitors access levels and privileges through each user’s access life cycle.
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