The Challenges of Identity and Access Management

05 September 2022

Today’s digital world requires organizations to operate with various types of data in a hybrid cloud environment. These changes have introduced daunting challenges for IT admins who must ensure security and access to data in this new dynamic. These challenges are particularly acute for Identity and Access Management (IAM) professionals, but they also apply to most IT pros who manage user access to company data in any way.

In this blog post we take a look at the top challenges of identity and access management (IAM) and how you can address them. Read on to learn more!

Top Challenges of IAM and Solutions to Address them

Decentralized Identity Management

As companies transition from on-premises data to cloud-hosted data, centralized on-prem can become decentralized. This gives more autonomy to different departments, but also increases risk when it comes to IAM. In a centralized system, a single user identity is used across the entire organization. This gives admins control of user access to company data, but it also means they are responsible for user identity management. This means they are also responsible for user identity management. This means they must store and manage user credentials, user profiles, and user identification (ID) attributes. As you decentralize data, decentralized identity management may become necessary. In decentralized identity management, each department has its own user identity system. Each user’s identity and access privileges are controlled by that department, and they are not shared with other departments. This means that centralized admin responsibilities are distributed to each department. This can make IAM more challenging, but it can also open up autonomy in certain departments.

Cloud Data Management

Cloud data is the data that is hosted in a remote data center and accessed over the Internet. It is a common practice for organizations to store their data in the cloud because it is much cheaper than on-premise data storage. It’s also more scalable and easily accessible from anywhere. But with this convenience comes a few challenges for IAM professionals. A major issue with cloud data is that it could be hosted by a service provider with whom your company doesn’t have a contract. This means there may be little control over how data is protected and maintained. You’ll also need to ensure that you can securely transfer data to and from the cloud, which can be a challenge in its own right. If the data is sensitive or regulated, the challenges associated with securing cloud data increase even further.

Data Security

Data security is crucial when considering any IAM implementation. While many organizations still prefer to store their data on-premise, many others have moved their data to the cloud. In both cases, when it comes to data security, admins will need to determine the best method for protecting their data from malicious attacks. There are several ways to protect data from malicious attacks, including: – Strong access control – Cryptography – Data minimization – Strong monitoring and alerting – Data obfuscation Strong access control and cryptography are effective ways to protect data from unauthorized users and potential attacks. Data minimization and data obfuscation are less common security measures. They aim to minimize the data collected, which reduces the overall risk. These methods are helpful for compliance and regulatory requirements like GDPR.

User Authentication and Authorization

Authentication is the process of confirming the identity of a user by verifying their credentials. This ensures that only authorized users can access your data. Authentication is usually a one-time process. Authorization, on the other hand, is the process of granting users access to specific data or resources. Both are often executed together, but they should be separate processes. Authentication is based on identity, while authorization is based on privilege. An example of this is logging into a computer or website. When you log in, your credentials are authenticated, but they don’t indicate your level of authority or what you can do on the platform. Authentication and authorization work together to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive data.

Organizational Change Management

Organizational change management is focused on the people aspect of IAM. Part of this change is cultural, as employees already have a set of expectations and methods for managing their data. Adding new levels of security and access privileges complicates this process. Organizational change management can be addressed by involving stakeholders in the design, implementation, and rollout stages of IAM. By involving key stakeholders, you can get a better idea of how the system will work in the real world. You can then identify and address any issues that could arise as the system is implemented. Organizational change management requires open and frequent communication between stakeholders. This helps to identify potential issues before they become major problems.

Conclusion

Identity and access management is an important aspect of any business. It’s a process that allows organizations to manage user access to data and resources and ensures the security of that data. While the process is not easy, it’s important to get it right so it doesn’t become a roadblock to your business. This can be achieved by having the right tools in place and following best practices. With the right approach, we can overcome the challenges of identity and access management (IAM) by implementing a smooth process to benefit your organization.