Solving the “Access” in Identity & Access Management

Submitted by: Zluri

Author: Sethu Meenakshisundaram

Organizations increasingly turn to SaaS applications to streamline operations, enhance collaboration, and drive innovation. The rapid adoption of SaaS has transformed how businesses operate; employees are now enabled to work from anywhere, at any time, and on any device. However, this flexibility comes with a significant challenge for Identity and Access Management (IAM) teams, whose job it is to ensure the security and integrity of sensitive data across a complex ecosystem of applications and user permissions.

The statistics are alarming: 80% of identity breaches involve privileged access misuse. As organizations embrace more SaaS applications, access becomes more fragmented and harder to track. This leaves IAM teams struggling to answer critical questions such as, "How many apps are being used? Who has access to them? What level of access do they have?"

Commonly used approaches to access management, such as role-based access control (RBAC) or systems for cross-domain identity management (SCIM), are not able to provide the granular visibility and control needed to effectively manage access in the age of SaaS. In addition, enabling user provisioning via SCIM may require companies to purchase a higher-priced tier of a product.

The consequences of inadequate access management can be quite significant. Access sprawl, where users accumulate excessive permissions over time, can expose sensitive data and expand the attack surface, making organizations more vulnerable to data breaches, compliance violations, and reputational damage. IAM teams must adopt a comprehensive approach to access management that prioritizes visibility, granular control, and continuous monitoring to address these challenges.

The first step in solving for the "A" in IAM is to gain a complete understanding of all identities and their access across the entire SaaS ecosystem. This requires going beyond traditional IAM solutions and leveraging advanced tools that can discover and map all user permissions and enable granular resource-level access controls, including those granted through group memberships and third-party applications. By creating a centralized inventory of all identities and their associated permissions, IAM teams can identify areas of risk, such as users with excessive privileges or orphaned accounts, and leverage auto-remediated actions and automated access review to mitigate those risks.

Once visibility into the access landscape has been established, the second step is to implement fine-grained access controls that go beyond simple role-based permissions. By defining access policies at the application, feature, and data levels, IAM teams can ensure that users have only the permissions they need to perform their job functions, adhering to the principle of least privilege. This approach reduces the risk of privileged access misuse and streamlines access management processes, making it easier to onboard and offboard users as needed.

Achieving full visibility and control over access requires more than just technical solutions, though. It also requires a shift in organizational culture and collaboration between IAM, security, and business teams. Through this shift in communication and creating shared responsibility for access management, organizations can proactively identify and mitigate risks before they lead to costly breaches or compliance violations. Regular access reviews and audits, conducted in collaboration with business stakeholders, can help ensure that access policies remain aligned with organizational objectives and regulatory requirements.

To further strengthen access management in the age of SaaS, organizations must embrace automation and analytics. By leveraging machine learning algorithms and advanced analytics tools, IAM teams can continuously monitor access patterns, detect anomalies, and remediate issues in real-time. This proactive approach not only reduces the burden on IAM teams but also enables organizations to adapt quickly to changing business needs and regulatory requirements.

Solving for the "A" in IAM is imperative for organizations seeking to secure themselves in the age of SaaS. As the SaaS landscape continues to evolve, those who prioritize access management as a strategic priority will be best positioned to reap the benefits of the cloud while minimizing risk and ensuring the integrity of their most valuable assets.

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