5 Important Identity Management Use Cases
Advances in information technology, while providing comprehensive benefits, have made it easier than ever to steal passwords and data. Cyberattackers can hack systems that organizations typically deem to be safe in just a few hours. The frequency and severity of cyberattacks and data breaches are rising worldwide.
Identity and access management (IAM) presents a set of solutions to safeguard against a range of such internet-based threats. It automates key access management and authentication tasks for organizations, improving security and overall productivity.
This article lists 5 important use cases for identity and access management that help businesses of all sizes implement robust and customizable security solutions.
Here are the Top 5 Identity and Access Management (IAM) Use Cases
1. Centralized directory
Identity and access management systems assign a digital identity to every user in an organization. All the information related to the user’s digital identity is stored and maintained in a centralized directory. A directory is a database containing details about user credentials, access permissions, authentication preferences, and more. It is also called a user store, an identity store, or an LDAP directory.
IT admins use directory services provided by IAM solutions to create or remove digital identities, store user and security data, and manage application access. When a user requests access to a resource, the IAM software verifies their identity by matching their credentials with the user information stored in the directory. If a match is not found, it denies access to the unauthorized user. Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) providers are continually developing their directory services to offer enhanced features to IT admins.
2. Role-based access management (RBAC) and conditional access
As the number of applications and systems within organizations grows, it becomes crucial to ensure that employees have access only to the data and apps necessary for their job roles. For instance, a marketing manager should have access to customer analytics software but does not need to view sensitive financial reports or IT system configurations. Identity and access management allows organizations to set custom access policies that restrict marketing managers from accessing data irrelevant to their functions. This reduces the risk of information loss and data leaks.
With IAM solutions, administrators can control which applications users can access and regulate their actions within those applications. They can also apply conditions for a successful login, such as requiring secure networks, registered devices, and presence in authorized locations. Organizations often use this conditional access to block login requests from suspicious domains and untrusted networks, reducing the risk of malicious attacks.
3. Additional security layers with multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Cracking weak passwords has become relatively easy for cyber attackers, making them a common target for gaining unauthorized access to company data. As a result, passwords alone are no longer sufficient to ensure secure access to business information and apps. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) collects additional evidence from users to prove their identity. It uses two or more authentication factors to verify a user’s identity during a login attempt. These factors include codes, one-time passwords (OTPs), fingerprint scans, security questions, etc. Administrators can set custom authentication requirements from an IAM solution’s dashboard to maximize security for their unique operations.
Several identity providers are also developing adaptive, context-based MFA. Adaptive MFA tracks other attributes of login patterns, such as IP addresses, login time and frequency, and device posture, to calculate security risk. This allows granular access control and monitoring of user behavior to better secure organizations against data breaches and unauthorized logins.
4. Improve User Experience with Single Sign-On (SSO)
Identity management solutions offer effortless single sign-on functionality. SSO allows users to access all applications, domains, and accounts in the organization using a single set of credentials. It eliminates the burden of users to create and remember multiple passwords for different apps and accounts. This results in a simple and hassle-free user experience, making employees happy and more productive.
SSO increases the organization’s security posture as people are more likely to create a stronger password if they have to remember just one combination. They are also less likely to note down the password somewhere. It decreases the annoyance of frequently going to IT teams with password reset requests. Identity management pairs SSO features with multi-factor authentication to simplify the login experience of individuals without compromising security. It minimizes disruptions in daily workflows, leading to a smooth and seamless user experience.
5. Simplify IT operations
With automated security and access control features, identity management significantly reduces the manual effort of IT teams. It allows them to create, modify, and delete user profiles from a centralized dashboard. This simplifies user provisioning and de-provisioning during employee onboarding and offboarding processes. Administrators can easily manage user access to all business apps from a single interface. They can implement custom context-based access and authentication policies that best suit their organization’s operations. With improved user experience facilitated by single sign-on, IT teams have to resolve fewer login and password reset issues.
Identity management automates and simplifies routine IT management and security tasks, improving operational efficiency. It boosts the productivity of IT teams and allows them to focus valuable time and energy on other important things.
Final thoughts
Applying identity management solutions enables businesses to improve user experience and access control and streamline operations without compromising security. IAM tools can be employed in privileged access management use cases as well. Identity verification enhances an organization’s data and app security by ensuring that only authorized people can gain access. It protects organizations from the increasing instances of password theft, phishing, and malware attacks.
To emphasize the gravity of internet-based threats and the need for identity management, we have collated 25+ IAM and security stats that organizations must be aware of in 2024. These, combined with the above IAM use cases, provide ample proof of the effectiveness of identity management for businesses of all sizes. The real-world identity management examples listed in this article illustrate the importance of robust IAM software in the current business ecosystem.
