Many companies are currently considering using artificial intelligence (AI) for identity management. The technology not only allows users to monitor suspicious behavior more effectively and automatically, but also improves security systems.
In the study “The State of Identity Governance 2024,” almost 53 percent of the 567 IT experts and executives surveyed said that functions supporting AI in identity and access management, for example, were among the top five priorities when evaluating such a solution. More and more IT administrators are coming to the conclusion that modern management of access rights is no longer feasible with many traditional IGA (Identity Governance and Administration) systems.
The analysis of access attempts and user behavior is not supported there, the regular manual checking of authorizations often has to be done manually and is too time-consuming for larger companies with numerous new SaaS applications. Even with many modern IGA solutions, “certification fatigue” is a common phenomenon. AI-driven solutions based on machine learning (ML) make it much easier to verify accounts and access rights and increase security.
AI expands access management
With AI for IGA, organizations can ensure that users only have access to the applications and systems they need to do their work, across the entire identity lifecycle: from the first day of work to the day they leave the company. AI for IGA helps organizations optimize access management and adapt to emerging threats by leveraging advanced analytics and automation capabilities. Here are some examples of improvements through the use of AI:
- User Identity Verification: AI-powered identity management uses biometric data (e.g. facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, etc.) to identify users and ensure that people accessing sensitive systems and applications are who they say they are. AI-powered user verification goes beyond other types of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and provides an additional layer of identity security.
- User access management: AI solutions facilitate role-based access control (RBAC) by analyzing a person's tasks in the organization and assigning them the right access rights via predefined roles. Automated AI algorithms optimize rights management and reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
- Analysis of user behavior: AI algorithms optimize anomaly detection. If a user unexpectedly accesses data that they do not need to perform their tasks, the system identifies this activity as a possible security risk.
- Contextualization of access policies: AI algorithms take into account information such as location, time of day, device used, etc. to make better decisions about access rights. If a user attempts to access sensitive data from an unknown location, the system may request additional verification.
- Lifecycle management of user identities: AI automates the assignment of access rights during onboarding and revocation of access during offboarding.
- Compliance with security guidelines: AI for identity management makes it easier to consistently enforce corporate identity and access management policies and ensure regulatory requirements are met.
Combat threats intelligently
Adopting AI for identity management is the first step in reducing the identity threats an organization faces. However, once automated processes are in place, there needs to be a defined process to convert the data provided by the AI-powered solution into actionable information. Here are three ways AI and ML-powered analytics can support IGA:
- Automated recommendations and chat-based AI reduce the learning curve associated with access requests and approvals, increasing the efficiency of the onboarding process and enabling IT administrators and users to be productive from day one.
- Role recognitiong, to determine which identities have common access levels, make it easier to assign future identities, save time, and ensure the right access level for the right identity.
- Improved reports, which can be used to analyze permissions, user accounts over time, organizational contexts or resources.
It becomes clear: the use of AI in identity management offers enormous advantages. However, there are also risks that must be taken into account. It is therefore important to ensure that automated processes do not give a false sense of security. Administrators must pay close attention to ensuring that AI algorithms deliver the desired results. AI-powered role mining helps companies build role-based, contextual rights management as a basis for greater security and simplified governance.
Another issue is privacy protection: AI-powered identity and access management analyzes personal data that needs to be protected from cyberattacks. It is important to take into account that data protection regulations are evolving and that data that is not considered sensitive today may be considered sensitive tomorrow.
Tailored identity management with AI
Every organization should implement a system that provides a comprehensive and automated approach to identity and access management and ensures security, compliance and efficiency requirements are met. AI-powered capabilities take the capabilities of IGA systems to new levels by automating identity verification, role-based access control and lifecycle management and empowering users. AI algorithms then convert the insights gained into actionable information that corporate IT can analyze to optimize identity security strategy. Finally, implementing a modern IGA strategy also requires a best practice process that ensures that the introduction of an IGA system really reflects the company's business and security requirements.
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Omada, a global leader in Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), offers a comprehensive, enterprise-grade, cloud-native IGA solution that helps organizations achieve compliance, reduce risk and maximize efficiency.