Identity Governance (IGA): real risks and how to manage them easily and automatically

Identity Governance & Administration (IGA) is a fundamental pillar of any cybersecurity strategy for identity and access management (IAM), as it provides the framework that defines access permissions and user identities (human and non-human), ensuring regulatory compliance and access authentication throughout the identity lifecycle, with constant reviews that update or revoke permissions as necessary.

Where is the challenge? In reducing management complexity, identity governance involves various complex processes that result in the prevention and protection against identity-related cyberattacks. However, at SOFFID IAM, we have managed to develop an IGA solution based on the automation, simplification, and standardization of these processes, which translates into both greater security for companies and greater operational efficiency.

Security risks associated with identity governance

Nowadays, it is common for any organization, no matter how small, to have to manage thousands of user accounts that have access to on-premise systems, cloud services, or SaaS applications. These accesses come from different devices, environments, and types of IAM identities, making it very difficult to keep track of who is accessing what at all times.

In this context, the problem is not usually a lack of controls, but the difficulty of keeping them up to date in dynamic environments where users, roles, and accesses are constantly changing.

Each digital identity poses a risk of a security breach that could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to company data and assets, with the potential economic and moral damage that this entails. Let’s remember that we are talking about thousands of identities whose legitimate credentials can fall into the hands of hackers who use them for illicit purposes to move freely through the digital ecosystem of organizations and access sensitive data and systems without any problem.

According to an IBM study on the impact of data breaches, theft and exposure of digital identity credentials are the main vectors of access in 16% of cases where these vulnerabilities occur. That is why it is crucial to implement identity management and governance solutions that help companies protect themselves from attacks linked to digital identity and thus prevent unauthorized access.

With identity governance solutions, users are given access only to the systems or data they need. In addition to preventing unnecessary access, an IGA solution also allows CISOs to monitor and control access, both on-premise and in cloud systems, so that only those who are truly authorized can access the system, while detecting and preventing unauthorized access. 

This not only protects assets from cyberattacks, but also ensures compliance with legislative requirements and internal policies. Another risk associated with poor identity governance management is the possibility of penalties for regulatory non-compliance. One example among many is the £20 million fine imposed on British Airways for breaching GDPR regulations, which was initially set at £183 million.

What does an Identity Governance & Administration system do?

Put simply, which is how we like things at SOFFID IAM, without complications, identity governance and administration consists of deciding who does what and checking that this is complied with.

Our SOFFID IGA solution mainly takes care of:

• • Automating the processes of creating, modifying, and deleting accounts.

• Provisioning credentials.

• Scheduled review and update of credentials.
• Granular definition of access policy by tasks and functions (or roles, RBAC).
• Implementing identity management throughout the digital ecosystem and incorporating all types of identities, both internal (e.g., employees, executives) and external (suppliers, contractors, partners, etc.).

An important concept in identity governance is the maturity level of IAM systems. Maturity in identity management refers to the need to effectively apply IGA policies throughout the entire lifecycle. 

Organizations with low levels of maturity are those that only incorporate basic measures in identity management and governance, where the lifecycle of internal and external user identities is only covered to a certain extent. In contrast, a high level of maturity in IGA means that identity governance is applied in a unified and comprehensive manner throughout the ecosystem, covering all accounts and permissions. In addition to enhancing security, this management also offers a better user experience with the automation of processes such as credential provisioning and re-provisioning, or automatic detection of access anomalies. 

SOFFID IGA: simple and efficient identity governance

SOFFID IGA was created to transform cumbersome and fragmented traditional processes into clear, automated, and centralized management of all processes related to identity lifecycle management (e.g., account creation, credential provisioning and revocation, modifications, identity deposition) and access governance (e.g., role-based permission logging and access control, monitoring of access policy compliance, detection and visibility of unauthorized access attempts, risk assessment).

This automation not only greatly facilitates identity management for the user, but also standardizes procedures so that they can be adjusted to both internal standards and regulatory requirements, as well as those imposed by current legislation. 

Our IGA solution converges with other IAM solutions on a single management platform that adapts to the specific needs of each project. As a result, by implementing SOFFID IGA, companies can enjoy multiple benefits, including:

• Reduced identity-related risks and enhanced corporate cybersecurity

• Greater efficiency and lower operating costs by integrating scalable, flexible, and customizable IAM solutions

• Compliance with the rules and standards required by current data protection and privacy regulations

Identity governance does not have to be complicated. With SOFFID IGA, security, compliance, and efficiency are easily managed from a single location. Tell us about your project so we can set up a free trial with the identity and access management solutions that are best suited to your company.