Open-source software is capable of meeting a decent part of core Identity and Access Management requirements of an organization. Looking at the present scenario, it would not be wrong to say that Identity management, access management, Single Sign-On, and authorization are some of the most crucial aspects of corporate security.

Identity and Access Management – The Difference

Usually, Identity Management and Access Management are referred jointly. However, these are different from each other. Both have their own rules and individual best practices.

Identity Management

This comprises of tools and practices that ensure consistency in identity data and synchronization across data formats, repositories, and models.

Access Management

It is a network of protocols, systems, and technologies supporting user authentication. This means the process that allows users to access a given system. Authorization is another major element of access management, which allows certain abilities each user to own on a given system.

Significance of Identity and Access Management

Identity and access management(IAM) has become more important than ever, especially in an age when hackers are getting smarter. Passwords are not safe and can be hacked in minutes. Breaches of corporate data have also become a very common occurrence.
Cybercriminals are ruling the World Wide Web. They have been successful in infiltrating a number of top large-scale and government enterprise systems. Entry into a corporate network has become easier than ever! Just one hacked set of authorizations will help these criminals to gain access.

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As per a study and research conducted, it has been revealed that around 35 per cent of the passwords linked to a recent breach of social media platform ‘LinkedIn’, the breach were similar to those used for various other accounts. The rest 65 per cent may be cracked with some cracking hardware.

Present age organizations are facing security challenges. The idea is to go beyond passwords in order to encompass all facets of identity and access control. This is precisely where Identity and access management comes in.

IAM smartly encompasses all requisite technologies and processes that allow accurate and efficient delivery of secure access for only authorized users to data, applications and the systems, required from any device, at any time.

This is precisely the ability to see through the entire IT infrastructure which includes the following:

• The cloud
• Who gets access to what
• What they are allowed to do using that access
• Whether or not it is appropriate to their existing / future association with the company
• Know where non-compliance and security risks exist (user accessible)

However, there’s a lot more to IAM than those mentioned above! On-boarding and off-boarding of users as well as their organization access to applications and systems with change of relationship status can be easily streamlined using Enterprise Identity Management.

When implemented correctly, the strategy ensures an efficient means to get rid of commonplace phenomena including:

• Privilege creep
• Missing audit logs
• Inadequate audit logs
• Privilege escalation attacks
• Usual identity confusion
• Password confusion

When done right, Identity and Access Management helps enterprises to assuredly deliver secure access sans boundaries.

Identity and Access Management(IAM) solution providers these days customize their services to meet specific requirements for new developments including the following:

• User self-service functions including password reset, user registration, etc.
• User provisioning based on roles and permissions. This includes permission matrix driven provisioning combined with access to systems
• Scripted SQL connector development for aggregating data from diverse systems of record, including Banner, AS400, or other HR systems.
• Cloud connectors for syncing data to and from Google, and Office 365
• Developing Activity workflows to implement existing business processes that are not covered by in-house BPM systems.
• Custom UI screens development in open source HTML, CSS, JavaScript frameworks such as Angular JS or Bootstrap etc.