Every organization has to know who is accessing their data and resources to control access management and ensure security across their network. This is managed by Identity and Access Management (IAM) tools. With IAM technology, administrators can monitor the accessed data by users, and control access privileges and limitations on the resources across the network and along its perimeter. Additionally, IAM solutions are needed to keep up with new regulations and ensure full compliance. Before comparing the most trending identity management tools, let’s look at what it really is and offers.
What is an Identity Management Tool?
The Identity Management tool is also known as Identity and Access Management. IAM is essentially an instrument to monitor and control access to network resources. It manages the authentication of identities and access privileges. In other words, administrators can control the access levels of users, authentication methods, and authorization. The identity and access management tools aim to prohibit unauthorized access to unrequired resources on the network and allow users to gain access to only required resources for preventing lateral movement within the network. The verification of users can be done through various authentication methods such as SSO (single sign-on), biometrics, and multifactor authentication. With the set-up limitations of access levels, reducing the attack surface is also possible. The Identity and Access Management tool prevents possible malicious threats at the perimeter and inside the network.
The IAM framework offers numerous benefits for protecting your business, enabling digital transformation, and establishing full compliance. It helps you protect your business by offering continuous monitoring and authenticating user access. At all times, administrators can monitor which user is accessing which resources from where and when. This main feature allows you to pinpoint the individual who has authorized access to confidential data and keep track. In the event of a data breach, administrators can also more easily pinpoint the source of the activity and resolve the issue faster. Identification of anomalies and vulnerabilities is a lot simpler. Also, the IAM tool ensures your company complies with new security regulations and manages adequate certifications.
Mistakes in IAM deployment can cause inefficiency, additional costs, and widened security vulnerabilities. So, IAM solutions should be implemented well for convenience and strong security. Benefit fully from the framework by implementing Identity and Access Management best practices.
Best Practices for Identity and Access Management
First and foremost, understanding the project goals is vital for sustainability before implementing the right solutions. Your organization should determine what issues need to be resolved by IAM solutions, what is targeted to strengthen throughout the project, and assess required resources. Potential threats and security risks can vary. So, it is essential to specify the concerns and underlying issues before IAM deployment. Additionally, your organization should map out where the project is headed.
The first IAM practice would be identifying which users need access to what resources. To ensure full visibility across the organization network, the authorization levels of every role and individual should be determined and specified. Privileges need to be revisioned continuously by administrators.
Creating individual profiles with smart role definitions is key to ensuring safety across the network. Privileges should be determined by specified role definitions for easier management. So, role-based access rights should be carefully assigned.
Zero Trust network access model can benefit you as well. Authenticating every user’s credentials allows you to prevent any lateral movement. The zero trust principle is based on not trusting users until their access credentials are proven.
Trending IAM Tools
1- NordLayer
NordLayer’s Identity and Access Management solutions offer optimal security, efficient identity management, consumer identity and access management, identity compromise protection, access control with many authentications and authorization tools, unified identity management, and a seamless user experience. With these features, your organization can control access permissions securely while provisioning individuals and monitoring business network activity in detail. Your organization can quickly enable digital transformation. NordLayer helps you to establish full compliance with ever-changing new security regulations. Advanced verification and authorization processes to protect users against compromised data. Also, it offers SSO (single sign-on), biometrics, two-factor authentication, multi factor authentication (MFA), and user provisioning. Additionally, the consumer IAM of NordLayer automates user access verification for online sites and portals. With secure app access and Zero Trust principles, NordLayer offers reliable and efficient IAM solutions.
2- Microsoft Azure Active Directory
Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AD) offers agility in identity and access management, seamless user experience, unified identity management, identity infrastructure management, identity governance, and comprehensive security and compliance. Azure AD also provides SSO, multi factor authentication, and conditional access. Azure AD’s single identity control plane ensures full visibility across your network and micromanagement. By using solid authentication and adaptive access policies, Azure AD secures data access.
3- IBM Security Identity and Access Assurance
IBM Security Identity and Access Assurance solution offers protection against insider threats and malicious actors, AI-powered authentication methods, automated control of privileged access, user access provisioning, governance of user access and activity, deep risk assessments, and compliance. Also, IBM enforces the least privileged security and can manage passwords both on hybrid cloud and on-site premises.
Final Remarks
Identity Management tools offer various benefits for secure access management with advanced authentication and authorization tools. Make sure to determine your needs and project aims before picking out the right solution for your organization. You might want to consider the most trending identity management frameworks offering numerous solutions and tools.