Security requirements for data, applications and resources for institutions are increasing day by day. In the digital transformation of institutions, systems and the access of these systems have also undergone significant transformation. Employees no longer only work in an office environment. Moreover, with cloud systems and hybrid infrastructures, institutions have moved beyond data centers. Additionally, data breaches and security incidents have become very common. At this point, the biggest challenge for institutions is to ensure that the right people have the right access to their systems. Two important steps to do this: Identity Management and Access Management.
IAM (Identity and Access Management) enables organizations to access their resources securely. It limits access to sensitive data and resources only to those who need access. Email systems, file servers, databases, etc. Manages access to resources containing sensitive data on a role-based basis in line with the institution’s policies. Thus, unauthorized or unauthenticated persons are prevented from accessing resources containing sensitive data.
Secure access requirements for institutions’ digital resources cover not only employees of the institution, but also other companies with which the institution has relationships, such as suppliers, manufacturers and affiliates. In short, everyone who has access to corporate resources is included in IAM processes.
IAM has two basic components: Identity Management and Access Management. With these two basic components, it is the building block in ensuring the security of systems and resources.
Identity Management has an identity directory where they keep a unique record for each user who needs access to any resource within the organization. Thanks to this unique record stored, an identity is defined. Thus, the relevant person verifies himself with this record and can log in to the systems defined for him. Matching users’ information such as username and password with the record stored in the database is called authentication. This record includes username, password, first name, surname, email address, title, role, department, etc. Contains information. This information is updated in cases such as when users start a job, leave a job, or change duties and titles.
Many institutions use other authentication systems in addition to username and password as an additional security measure. Multi-factor authentication methods known as MFA also use single-use codes sent via phone number, email addresses or mobile authenticator applications as an additional verification factor.
Access Management works as the second part of the IAM system. Access management checks which resource the authenticating user is trying to access and their permissions for that resource. Access permissions in institutions have different levels and vary according to qualifications such as title and duty. Giving users the correct level of access is called authorization. Role-based regulation of authorizations provides discipline and ease of management.
As a result, IAM is the security system that works to ensure that users are authenticated and authorized correctly.
Although IAM is of vital importance for organizations, it is very difficult to implement. The main challenges here are the diversity of IAM applications and the difference in working methods, integration of corporate resources with IAM systems, mastering all infrastructure systems, determining access authorization levels and roles, determining corporate policies, and defining IAM processes into the system by adapting them to the workflows of the organization.
Therefore, the implementation of IAM systems in institutions requires a very high level of competence and experience. For example, in some institutions, the account of a staff member on annual leave is temporarily closed, while in other institutions, restricted access is provided. While it is a temporary duty in some institutions, a proxy appointment can be made in some institutions. Determining such institution-specific policies and operations and defining them into IAM systems is a work that requires a lot of effort.
iDAC service is a service with technical and consultancy components provided by Forcerta. This service is provided to institutions in the following areas.
Under constantly changing and transforming technological conditions, IAM systems of institutions are often inadequate to meet their security needs. In addition, the effectiveness and efficiency of IAM systems, which are of great importance in protecting sensitive information, which is one of the most important security issues, and ensuring that the right users have access to the right resources, are ensured.
With the iDAC service, many gains will be achieved, such as increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of institutions’ IAM systems. While the effectiveness of existing IAM systems is measured, deficiencies are also identified. Requirements and needs are analyzed for institutions with an end-to-end holistic approach.
Policies, processes and workflows are provided from a comprehensive perspective that includes suppliers, manufacturers and subsidiaries as well as institutions.
