Remote work and cloud services are increasingly taking important business processes outside of the corporate network. This shift in security perimeters makes cybercriminals more likely to target employees, vendors, and bots. Identity security solutions enable efficient management of user accounts and access policies to meet compliance requirements and minimize the risk of data breaches. Klaus Hild, Principal Identity Strategist at SailPoint Technologies, explains the most common myths and shows which pitfalls need to be avoided to make identity access management (IAM) a success.
1. IAM is a project
Launching an IAM program isn't just about another IT application being deployed and automatically taking care of access permissions from there. Rather, it is part of the corporate strategy: access is fundamentally restricted, checked and only allowed when it is really necessary. This is also referred to as a zero trust strategy. In order to establish such an approach and carry it out with the help of an appropriate tool, all processes and roles in the company are first mapped. Only after this phase can the IAM program be set up and used effectively with all its advantages. An identity access management program is therefore a continuous process, not a project that has a specific start and end date.
2. IAM is a matter for the IT department
The first myth already shows that IAM is a very strategic topic. It's about mapping business processes to increase security. One department cannot do this alone. Rather, the successful introduction needs the support of the management. The HR department must also be involved, as they have important insights and information such as personnel numbers and responsibilities as well as job descriptions. In Germany, such a process change does not work without bringing the works council on board: it is the first point of contact for concerns or uncertainties from the workforce and is therefore extremely important for the implementation and success of the program.
3. Processes are not questioned
Before the IAM can be implemented, all IT-supported processes in the company must first be mapped in a meaningful way so that the necessary access rights can be derived. When mapping business processes, it is also about at least considering changes or new beginnings. Contrary to the motto: "We've always done it this way", there is now an opportunity to question the given and to restructure it if necessary. The implementation team should therefore be shown the existing processes in detail and have them explained to them if they have any questions in order to be able to uncover and address potential for optimization.
4. Companies know how many IT applications they have
Most cases in practice confirm it: companies use far more IT applications than they initially thought possible. For the actual goal - increasing security in the company - all roles and access to applications, data and cloud services really have to be covered. In addition to all IT programs that are in active use, bots, machine identities and external partners who require access must also be considered.
5. Certification can only take place after all Go Lives have been completed
Data cleansing is just as crucial to the success of IAM as the completeness of the connected IT applications. Each application should be checked for data quality. Estimating the effort required and the available resources as realistically and honestly as possible will help to avoid running out of time. When mapping the processes in the IAM tool and the data cleansing, a period of several weeks and months is more likely than a weekend. Before the complete Go Live is postponed, it is better to plan with several smaller Go Lives than with one big "Big Bang". Certification comes into question as soon as the first application is connected.
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6. Acceptance among the workforce comes naturally
In some cases, the questioning of responsibilities, roles and processes in the company downright shakes the cornerstones. This may lead to skepticism and uncertainty. This is precisely why it is important to communicate openly and transparently what the introduction of an IAM program is all about: the conscious restriction of access options to the corporate network in favor of corporate security. The better you succeed in informing and picking up the workforce, the easier it is to introduce IAM - and acceptance is the be-all and end-all for success.
7. Go Live is the final step
After the successful implementation, the security measures must be kept up to date. Changes in business processes also require continuous adjustment. This is critical to ensure the protection of sensitive data and unauthorized access to business-critical resources.
More at Sailpoint.com
About Sail Point
SailPoint is a provider of identity security solutions. Enterprise security begins and ends with identities and managing access to them. However, the ability to manage and secure all identities present in the company today often goes beyond human resources and skills. Powered by AI and machine learning, the SailPoint Identity Security Platform delivers the right level of access to match the scale, speed, and environmental needs of cloud-centric organizations. Our intelligent, autonomous and integrated solutions put identity security at the heart of digital business operations and enable even the most complex organizations to create a security foundation that counters the most pressing cyber (security) threats.