IAM Audit
IAM Audit
IAM Audit
when they need them. A solid IAM setup minimizes the risk of data breaches and makes life
much harder for cyber attackers. This makes it a critical security tool for all modern
businesses.
To function properly, IAM systems need maintenance. That's where IAM assessments enter
the picture. This article will discuss what IAM assessments are, why they are useful, and how
to carry them out.
Over time, IAM systems tend to become disordered and outdated. Attack vectors evolve
every week. Hackers may compromise the credentials of privileged accounts. Network
identities can change, creating new ways to access confidential data.
The IAM assessment process can be broken down into five separate areas: who, what, when,
where, and how. Let's quickly explore how the five sections work.
Assessors must determine which users have access to which resources. Knowing who is
using the network is the first stage in understanding how to secure data and applications. This
is not a simple task and requires careful analysis of the organization's network environment.
The term "user" includes employees (with both regular and privileged access). But it can also
encompass IoT devices, service accounts, third-party partners, applications, and even clients.
Every user has their own profile. This details the resources they require, and the privileges
needed to access them.
The second part of assessing IAM solutions is understanding what assets need protection.
What physical infrastructure or applications are users connecting to?
Document what these resources are, but also how they are used. This allows assessors to
discover patterns of use. They can also map assets to uncover security gaps – such as over-
privileged accounts with excessive access to private client data.
The "what" phase also includes current IAM tools and other elements of your security
posture. Assessment teams must establish whether legacy systems deliver robust security, and
how they can be improved.
Time also needs to feature in this section of the assessment. Will the mix of applications
change in the future, and will expansion create new access control risks?
This section of the assessment covers how users connect to network assets. This is
important because traditional on-premises networking rarely applies in the modern economy.
Employees routinely connect remotely from home or public access points. Remote
connections to cloud portals may also bypass existing IAM controls.
IAM assessment teams must identify remote work locations and out-of-office identities. If
they know "where" users are, security teams can apply appropriate access controls and user
privileges.
Understanding when users connect to network assets is another critical part of assessing an
IAM program. Users tend to have consistent usage patterns reflecting their working
schedules. This creates a digital fingerprint. If usage patterns change, this may provide
evidence of illegitimate access.
The fifth aspect of assessing IAM involves analyzing the composition and effectiveness of
existing identity and access management systems. In other words, "how" companies meet
their IAM compliance requirements.
Assessments should consider how current technology is meeting IAM requirements. But they
also need to consider future investments. Will IAM systems continue to meet business goals?
Can improvement actions deliver better security?
Strategy also comes into this part of the process. Assessors need to make sure security
policies reflect existing IAM systems. They need to ensure policies, technology, and
procedures match compliance aims. If not, new policies and action plans are required.
Use the assessment to revisit and improve your security policy. Your IAM security policy
should reflect current technology or any IAM systems you intend to implement. It delivers
formal procedures to manage identities and secure your network assets. And it should make
responding to security incidents much easier.
Clearly define who is responsible for aspects of identity and access management. This might
include:
While Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems come standard with many
components to streamline processes, there are a few recommended additions for safeguarding
your organization against vulnerabilities. This identity and access management checklist will
ensure you are best prepared to create efficient workflows, equip team members, and keep
your critical assets secure.
Publish an IAM policy
First things first, make sure you have an IAM policy published and updated. The policy is a
defined set of actions and rules to help people within your organization streamline operations.
Having one on file will make it easier for team members to make decisions and can be used
as a reference if need be.
Automate the access lifecycle
At this point in technological innovation, automation is near synonymous with efficiency.
Automating the access lifecycle with provisioning and deprovisioning processes (the
assignment and removal of permissions) eliminates the more time-consuming manual
processes of access authorization while significantly reducing error. This approach to
lifecycle management streamlines onboarding—ensuring that users immediately have access
to the tools they need to perform their position duties—and supports both offboarding and
ongoing efforts by decommissioning credentials for those who no longer have access
approvals. In this way, automation is not only efficient but secure.
Enable secure access to applications
Establishing secure user access to applications is integral to an efficient IAM system and
overall organizational security. The most popular means of accomplishing this are Two-
Factor Authentication (2FA), Single Sign-On (SSO), and Multi-Factor Authentication
(MFA).
Each is considered a best practice for authentication as they bolster security efforts while
creating a user-friendly experience. For 2FA and MFA, users must provide two or more
authenticating factors to gain access (e.g., password, authenticator app, fingerprint scan, etc.).
Whereas, for SSO, users need only enter one set of credentials to access multiple domain-
connected applications. As they differ in function and implementation, one may be
operationally best depending on the organizational need or preference.
Separation of duties
Foundational for any IAM solution, implementing separation of duties (SoD) ensures that no
one user retains control of more than one business operation in a given process. Operating
within role-based access, SoD is inherently compliant, as it eliminates the possibility of
single-source control of digital assets by any one user or account (e.g., accounting,
management, etc.). With built-in permissions and accountability, organizations mitigate the
risk of user-inflicted, often irreparable, damage.
Document everything
A crucial part of compliant operations is documentation. By monitoring, recording and
organizing all user activity, your organization has the ability to address issues head on, with
the data to contribute for resolving any dispute. Documentation also proves helpful when
confronted with a situation that has occurred before. Searchable and accurate records allow
teams to repeat or revise processes that will lead to the most successful outcome.
Wrapping up
After checking each of the boxes – publishing an IAM policy, creating role-based access
controls, automating the access lifecycle, enabling secure access to applications,
implementing separation of duties, auditing your accounts and users, and documenting–your
organization’s IAM security will be in tiptop shape.
If you need any help deciding on an IAM provider, find out how SailPoint can help you.