Improving Organizational Security with Identity and Access Management

Maintaining an organizations security is vital to its existence and development. In today’s age of globalization, businesses become increasingly collaborative and resources are availed of by a rising number of users. Therefore, organizations face complex challenges of maintaining their security as managing identities, authorizing and authenticating users to access sensitive enterprise resources becomes difficult and dangerous.

With the escalating use of computers and mobile resources, it is becoming exceedingly difficult to manage organizational security. Identity and Access Management (IAM) which falls under the umbrella of IT Security, is the foundation of which your organization should rely on.

IAM Functions                                                                                      

Identity management systems integrators are useful tools for controlling information about users, hardware and network resources and applications and are being used more and more by enterprises to safeguard themselves.Practically, it involves three basic functions as listed below:

1. The pure identity function includes creation, management and deletion of identities
2. The user access (log-on) function exemplified by devices used by a customer to log on to services;
3. The service function is a system that delivers personalized role-based, online, on-demand, multimedia (content) or presence-based services to users.

Security Benefits of IAM

Organizations continuously add services for both internal and external users, many of which require identity management. In addition to creation, deletion, modification of user identity data, Identity Management is tasked with controlling ancillary data for use by applications, like authentication, authorization, roles and delegation. It is a very sensitive security issue for enterprises but with IAM it is easily looked after.

Applying an effective IAM system profits organization and improves security by:

1. Improving Performance: IAMs Automated authentication, authorization, single sign-on and visibility, application management and standardized processes help improve business performance as managers are not worried about risk and can focus on other important aspects.
2. Increased Operational Efficiency: Increased automation, integration and consolidation help in improving operational efficiency and reducing risks.
3. Simplifying Processes: The use of a single identity for a given user eases tasks for administrators and users, thus reducing multi-level risks.
4. Fraud Reduction: Identity frauds are reduced by regular assessment and evaluation.
5. Empowered Management: Automation and user access is determined by management for safety purposes.
6. Centralized Compliance: IAM provides effective compliance across the enterprise.
7. Improves User-Assurance: With closed-loop user activity users are assured of security and businesses benefit as monitoring gets easy.

Therefore, we see that IAM is the perfect mode for improving organizational security in today’s age and times as it helps organizations to protect, preserve and safeguard the organization as a whole.