Tired of identity management headaches?
Tired of identity management headaches?
When we talk about Identity and Access Management (IAM), other related concepts often arise that can be confusing. This is the case with some features that are part of IAM systems, such as Identity Governance and Management (IGA) and Privileged Access Management (PAM).
These two branches of IAM are key elements in ensuring maximum protection against cyberattacks and compliance with specific regulatory requirements, both internal and external, within an organisation.
In this article, we explain what IAM, IGA and PAM are, how they differ, why they are important, and how SOFFID’s IAM solutions manage to integrate these functionalities in a customised way, improving their operational efficiency and adapting to the dynamics of each company, regardless of its sector or characteristics.
Identity and access management establishes an operational framework for developing strategies that ensure that only authorised users (users understood as ‘digital identities’) can access an organisation’s resources or assets.
IAM solutions define these identities and implement authentication and access control systems to verify that only those who should have access do so, when they should and how they should, i.e. in accordance with established rules. Regulatory compliance may be linked to current legislation on security and data protection, and to the organisations’ own internal policies.
Most cyberattacks suffered by companies occur through phishing. This theft of credentials may be due to a lack of control or malpractice, for example, giving users more privileges than they need to perform their duties. These types of vulnerabilities are becoming increasingly common due to the growing decentralisation of access, the coexistence of environments (local, cloud, hybrid systems), and the inherent complexity of constantly evolving organisations.
Through effective identity and access management, comprehensive systems are established that provide the organisation with robust, unified and comprehensive policies that affect the entire digital ecosystem, minimising risks and thus protecting the organisation’s assets across the board.
An IAM system allows CISOs to take measures that make these assets inaccessible to the vast majority, but at the same time accessible to those who need them.
At SOFFID IAM, we believe that this is a fundamental aspect of IAM: identity management and access control solutions cannot hinder the operations or development of companies. On the contrary, a good IAM strategy, with solutions adapted to the particular characteristics and scalability of each organisation, should enhance efficiency, reducing operating costs and improving workflows. Our SOFFID solution combines different IAM functionalities according to your company’s needs, with scalable solutions that are compatible with legacy systems.
These are some of the most notable features and benefits of IAM systems:
IGA differs from IAM in that it is part of a broader operational framework. Identity governance and management is essential in an IAM system, as it defines the most effective strategy and solutions that each organisation must adopt to reduce security risks arising from unauthorised access.
It is important to note that IGA (Identity Governance Administration) adapts both to the characteristics of each organisation and to regulatory requirements such as the General Data Protection Regulation, or others, including internal statutes. It also implements internal audits that demonstrate compliance with the security guarantees required. Thus, in addition to strengthening protection, potential penalties are avoided.
SOFFID IGA automates the creation, certification, and management of identities throughout their entire lifecycle, including the modification and deletion of accounts with scheduled recertifications. These identities can be internal users (employees, administrators, collaborators), external users (customers, suppliers, contractors), or non-human users (applications, APIs).
Credential provisioning is defined in a granular manner, i.e. based on roles (Role-Based Access Control, RBAC) and applying the principle of least privilege: zero trust, each identity is authorised to access what it needs and nothing more.
All processes are automated, which minimises the possibility of error, simplifies identity management, facilitates access control, and ensures regulatory compliance.
The main objective of identity and access management is to prevent unauthorised access through credential spoofing. However, it is equally important that an IAM system ensures the operational continuity of organisations, and to do so, some users need access to critical resources.
PAM (Privileged Access Management) is the branch of IAM that focuses on ‘privileged users,’ those who have the authority to make changes to critical systems or resources within the organisation. They may be network administrators, application service accounts, CISOs, heads of human resources or finance, executives, or other high-level users.
IGA defines identity management based on the principle of least privilege, but even so, these privileged accounts must be subject to more comprehensive control. PAM solutions are responsible for controlling this privileged access.
SOFFID PAM controls and audits access to privileged accounts; it establishes monitoring and multi-factor authentication systems that detect any unauthorised access attempts and, consequently, trigger automatic response measures. All this is done automatically, without slowing down the company’s activity.
IGA and PAM are essential components of optimal identity and access management, which serves to implement the highest level of security systems and ensure regulatory compliance. These functionalities are fundamental to understanding what IAM is and why it is important for businesses. To find out how they can help you with your project, please contact us so that we can offer you a free SOFFID trial tailored to your needs.
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