Identity management and access control is the discipline of managing access to enterprise resources to keep systems and data secure. As a key component of your security architecture, it can help verify your users’ identities before granting them the right level of access to workplace systems and information. While people might use the terms identity management, authentication, and access control interchangeably, each of these individually serve as distinct layers for enterprise security processes
The reason these two concepts are important to the business is that they are two critical steps for a user who is accessing information. The information provided by identity management determines how the access management will function. Since users only enter identity information, they do not realise that there is an entirely different management system to establish their access. Identity and access are so closely tied together that it can be difficult to remember that they are not the same thing.
This misunderstanding can lead to potential security issues. If your identity management is detailed and descriptive, but your access management is not clearly defined, you are potentially opening the door for cybercriminals who can target users on your database with the kind of access they need to find the data and information they need.
Conversely, if access management is detailed, but identity management is not well defined, it can create issues for legitimate users trying to access the information they need on a day to day basis.
Your description of how failure to clearly define IAM can lead to a backdoor for criminals was insightful. I would like to add that identity has become a burden on the online world. When it is stolen it gives rise to massive fraud, especially in online services, which generate a lack of confidence in doing business for providers and frustration for users. Additionally, with the increasing usage of BYODs, there has been a rise in cybercriminals who get unauthorized access to sites for stealing sensitive data which drives the identity and access management market since system security and providing a secure environment is among the top priorities for an organization. Otherwise, loss of critical information and financial losses may result in very dramatic scenario for any business.
Identity and access management for an organization is primarily about defining and managing the roles and access privileges of users. Identity management and Access management solutions should have functionality to support a user repository, role definition and authorization engine, authentication system with single sign-on capabilities, password management, account provisioning/de-provisioning, and audit to the following questions: (“what should each user have access to?”, “who approves and allows access?”, “how do the access decisions map policies?”, “Do former employees still have access?”, “How do we keep up with our dynamic and ever-changing environment?”, etc.).
The Identity management (IdM) or IAM environments are complex in terms of access to business and using directory services with permissions, access control lists (ACLs), and profiles. This labor-intensive approach has proven incapable of keeping up with complex demands and thus has been replaced with automated applications rich in functionality that work together to create an IdM infrastructure. The main goals of IdM technologies are to streamline the management of identity, authentication, authorization, and the auditing of subjects on multiple systems throughout the enterprise. The sheer diversity of a heterogeneous enterprise makes proper implementation of IdM a huge undertaking.
Business consider the fast implementation of selling identity management products is now a flourishing market that focuses on reducing administrative costs, increasing security, meeting regulatory compliance, and improving upon service levels throughout enterprises. The continual increase in complexity and diversity of networked environments only increases the complexity of keeping track of who can access what and when. Organizations have different types of applications, network operating systems, databases, enterprise resource management (ERM) systems, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, directories, and mainframes—all used for different business purposes. Then the organizations have partners, contractors, consultants, employees, and temporary employees. (Figure 5-3 provides a simplistic view of most environments.) Users usually access several different types of systems throughout their daily tasks, which makes controlling access and providing the necessary level of protection on different data types difficult and full of obstacles.
This complexity usually results in unforeseen and unidentified holes in asset protection, overlapping and contradictory controls, and policy and regulation noncompliance.
Another problem that can be solved with proper identity access management is to keep up with changes in employees across different roles in the organization. If the granted permissions are not revoked when the employee changes their responsibilities, all these access permissions can accumulate, and for a variety of reasons, this situation brings a high risk.
The biggest distinction that I could draw between identity management and access management is that identity management authenticates users to tell you whether they are allowed access, whereas access management provides authorization. Businesses need to make sure users have the permissions they need to perform their jobs, and limit other permissions. The risk of not having a proper IAM process in place is putting data at risk for the possibility of being misused, and could result in regulatory non-compliance in the event of an organization being audited. Businesses need to care about the difference between identity management and access management since they involve two different processes (with reference to authentication vs authorization). Not understanding the difference between the two in terms of technology is a major weakness that malicious hackers can exploit. People or businesses can overlook the fact that just because they have strict authentication requirements does not mean that they have strict authorization standards.
Most of the companies use Microsoft’s Active Directory (AD) – the most dominant directory service for handling logins and other administrative functions on Windows networks. It has been a godsend for many IT administrators looking for a one-stop-shop to handle the Identity Access Management (IAM) functions within their organizations. It makes it very easy and straight forward for companies to handle their users.
The difference between identity management and access management requires understanding of the differences between these two concepts. They are related, but they are definitely not the same thing. Technically, they don’t understand the difference between authentication and authorization. This is a weakness that malicious hackers can take advantage of. Just because you have strict authentication requirements does not mean that you have strict authorization standards.
For example, you can have an administrative account that is used to authenticate users. Obviously, the user only has the login information for the account to access the required information. If hackers can find these credentials, then authorization is guaranteed. The information provided by identity management determines how access management will operate. Since users only enter identity information, they do not realize that there is a completely different management system to establish their access. If identity management is detailed and descriptive, but access management is not clearly defined, hackers can easily find people with access rights to find the data or information they want to access. If access management is detailed, but identity management is too vague , It will bring countless problems to legitimate users. In order to ensure correct processes and stricter security, both need to be detailed and consistent.
Shubham Patil says
Identity management and access control is the discipline of managing access to enterprise resources to keep systems and data secure. As a key component of your security architecture, it can help verify your users’ identities before granting them the right level of access to workplace systems and information. While people might use the terms identity management, authentication, and access control interchangeably, each of these individually serve as distinct layers for enterprise security processes
The reason these two concepts are important to the business is that they are two critical steps for a user who is accessing information. The information provided by identity management determines how the access management will function. Since users only enter identity information, they do not realise that there is an entirely different management system to establish their access. Identity and access are so closely tied together that it can be difficult to remember that they are not the same thing.
This misunderstanding can lead to potential security issues. If your identity management is detailed and descriptive, but your access management is not clearly defined, you are potentially opening the door for cybercriminals who can target users on your database with the kind of access they need to find the data and information they need.
Conversely, if access management is detailed, but identity management is not well defined, it can create issues for legitimate users trying to access the information they need on a day to day basis.
Elizabeth Gutierrez says
Hi Shubham,
Your description of how failure to clearly define IAM can lead to a backdoor for criminals was insightful. I would like to add that identity has become a burden on the online world. When it is stolen it gives rise to massive fraud, especially in online services, which generate a lack of confidence in doing business for providers and frustration for users. Additionally, with the increasing usage of BYODs, there has been a rise in cybercriminals who get unauthorized access to sites for stealing sensitive data which drives the identity and access management market since system security and providing a secure environment is among the top priorities for an organization. Otherwise, loss of critical information and financial losses may result in very dramatic scenario for any business.
Oluwaseun Soyomokun says
Identity and access management for an organization is primarily about defining and managing the roles and access privileges of users. Identity management and Access management solutions should have functionality to support a user repository, role definition and authorization engine, authentication system with single sign-on capabilities, password management, account provisioning/de-provisioning, and audit to the following questions: (“what should each user have access to?”, “who approves and allows access?”, “how do the access decisions map policies?”, “Do former employees still have access?”, “How do we keep up with our dynamic and ever-changing environment?”, etc.).
The Identity management (IdM) or IAM environments are complex in terms of access to business and using directory services with permissions, access control lists (ACLs), and profiles. This labor-intensive approach has proven incapable of keeping up with complex demands and thus has been replaced with automated applications rich in functionality that work together to create an IdM infrastructure. The main goals of IdM technologies are to streamline the management of identity, authentication, authorization, and the auditing of subjects on multiple systems throughout the enterprise. The sheer diversity of a heterogeneous enterprise makes proper implementation of IdM a huge undertaking.
Business consider the fast implementation of selling identity management products is now a flourishing market that focuses on reducing administrative costs, increasing security, meeting regulatory compliance, and improving upon service levels throughout enterprises. The continual increase in complexity and diversity of networked environments only increases the complexity of keeping track of who can access what and when. Organizations have different types of applications, network operating systems, databases, enterprise resource management (ERM) systems, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, directories, and mainframes—all used for different business purposes. Then the organizations have partners, contractors, consultants, employees, and temporary employees. (Figure 5-3 provides a simplistic view of most environments.) Users usually access several different types of systems throughout their daily tasks, which makes controlling access and providing the necessary level of protection on different data types difficult and full of obstacles.
This complexity usually results in unforeseen and unidentified holes in asset protection, overlapping and contradictory controls, and policy and regulation noncompliance.
Yangyuan Lin says
Hi Oluwaseun
Another problem that can be solved with proper identity access management is to keep up with changes in employees across different roles in the organization. If the granted permissions are not revoked when the employee changes their responsibilities, all these access permissions can accumulate, and for a variety of reasons, this situation brings a high risk.
Elizabeth Gutierrez says
The biggest distinction that I could draw between identity management and access management is that identity management authenticates users to tell you whether they are allowed access, whereas access management provides authorization. Businesses need to make sure users have the permissions they need to perform their jobs, and limit other permissions. The risk of not having a proper IAM process in place is putting data at risk for the possibility of being misused, and could result in regulatory non-compliance in the event of an organization being audited. Businesses need to care about the difference between identity management and access management since they involve two different processes (with reference to authentication vs authorization). Not understanding the difference between the two in terms of technology is a major weakness that malicious hackers can exploit. People or businesses can overlook the fact that just because they have strict authentication requirements does not mean that they have strict authorization standards.
Shubham Patil says
Elizabeth,
Most of the companies use Microsoft’s Active Directory (AD) – the most dominant directory service for handling logins and other administrative functions on Windows networks. It has been a godsend for many IT administrators looking for a one-stop-shop to handle the Identity Access Management (IAM) functions within their organizations. It makes it very easy and straight forward for companies to handle their users.
Yangyuan Lin says
The difference between identity management and access management requires understanding of the differences between these two concepts. They are related, but they are definitely not the same thing. Technically, they don’t understand the difference between authentication and authorization. This is a weakness that malicious hackers can take advantage of. Just because you have strict authentication requirements does not mean that you have strict authorization standards.
For example, you can have an administrative account that is used to authenticate users. Obviously, the user only has the login information for the account to access the required information. If hackers can find these credentials, then authorization is guaranteed. The information provided by identity management determines how access management will operate. Since users only enter identity information, they do not realize that there is a completely different management system to establish their access. If identity management is detailed and descriptive, but access management is not clearly defined, hackers can easily find people with access rights to find the data or information they want to access. If access management is detailed, but identity management is too vague , It will bring countless problems to legitimate users. In order to ensure correct processes and stricter security, both need to be detailed and consistent.