Businesses are constantly gathering data, often unintentionally. Protecting privacy data is a must for every company, not just for the customers, but to keep up with EU GDPR requirements. Just having a clear set of policies & rules for data protection is just not enough; it is equally necessary to identify systems and apps that are storing GDPR-governed data, and figure out how this data is being accessed. Identity & access management is an aspect that businesses cannot afford to ignore anymore. In simple words, Identity & Access Management is all about managing access rights, so that data is protected and only right users within the organization have rightful access to right data & resources, at the right time.
Today, IAM suites are being deployed by companies to ensure access rights are transparent, easy to manage & control.
Securing privacy data
IT environments are complex and hybrid in nature, with hundreds of users have access to the same data. This always exposes applications & systems containing privacy data, and even a small security breach can have a domino effect within the organization. A large number of data breaches and leaks can be traced back to internal sources. Employees & privilege access users are often responsible for data theft and security-related breaches, and it can happen more frequently than most businesses imagine. Having a clear system for identity and access management is key to protecting critical & sensitive business data.
What to expect with IAM?
IAM intends to offer a better insight into access rights and automate what’s necessary and viable. For instance, every time an employee leaves the organization, his/her rights, accounts and access controls must be revoked immediately. Similarly, IAM makes it possible to keep a tab on privilege access users, who often have access to most critical systems and have been found to be responsible for many corporate breaches, both accidental and deliberate. IAM tools are designed to ensure that access rights are transparent, and in case of a breach, appropriate corrective steps can be taken. Not to forget, IAM also enables companies to stay compliant with GDPR and simplify policies, so that work processes are not affected.
From password management and reporting, to Segregation of duties (SoD) and identity lifecycle management, IAM simplifies everything. If your company is using the right IAM suite, there will no problem in deployment. Permissions can be granted automatically and manually, as needed for every role!
