What is access management?

Access management is a framework of policies and procedures that limits the access of users and systems to particular network resources. Access management is one of the two main components of Identity and Access Management (IAM).

Identity management vs access management

Identity management and access management are closely intertwined. Together, they provide a secure yet comprehensive solution that ensures the right individuals or systems have access to necessary resources, based on their identities.

Identity management focuses on managing the digital identities and attributes of users within an organisation. Its purpose is to create and maintain user identities, making sure that the right access controls are appropriately associated with each user. In most cases, users are grouped based on job roles or team departments, then certain permissions are assigned to each group.

Access management deals with regulating and controlling users’ or systems’ entry to network resources based on their access rights. Through the process of authentication and authorisation, access management regularly monitors users' identities and guides them to their granted network resources.

How access management works

Authorisation and authentication are the two essential components of access management. Let’s examine each process.

Authentication

Authentication is the process of verifying the user's identity. Users can verify their identity using methods such as password-based, token-based and biometric authentication. Most organisations add another layer of security by implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), which requires two or more authentication factors.

Authorisation

Once the authentication process concludes, the authorisation step follows. Authorisation is the process of granting or denying access rights based on the organisation's predefined rules. These rules are typically based on the user's role, department, attributes or other factors. Access control is the primary tool for implementing authorisation policies for many organisations. Depending on a user's permission level, access management will determine whether they are allowed access to network resources and what operations they can perform./p>

Examples of access management

Here are two examples of access management:

Example 1: Jenny is a newly hired marketing specialist and she needs to enter her organisation’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database. While she undergoes the login process, the IAM system verifies her credentials to see if she is an authorised user with access permissions. Once this information is checked, Jenny will be able to log in to the CRM database to complete her work.

Example 2: Mark wants to view his online banking statement. He logs in to his banking account by entering his username and password. Once his login credentials are authenticated, he is asked to confirm his identity by entering his mother's maiden name which he answered when he first registered his banking information. If he answers it correctly, he will be authorised to access his financial data. If he answers incorrectly, the IAM system will deny his access.

The risks of poor access management

For access management to work properly, effective management skills must be practiced. Examples of bad practices include a lack of monitoring, lack of access controls, weak authentication mechanisms and granting users more permissions than what's necessary. Poor access management can lead to an organisation being exposed to several risks which include, but are not limited to, insider threats and an increased attack surface.

Insider threats

Insider threats are cyber threats that originate from within an organisation, initiated by someone who has inside access to the organisation’s system. An inside attacker can steal data and sensitive information when dealing with a poorly structured access management system. Insider threats can go undetected due to inadequate monitoring of access rights.

Increased attack surface

An attack surface refers to all the points in a network that could be used by cybercriminals to access an organisation’s system. Poor access management creates opportunities for attackers to exploit these vulnerabilities. These opportunities stem from a number of factors including excessive privileges being granted to users.

Benefits of identity and access management

Incorporating an IAM solution into an organisation offers several benefits, such as enhancing security measures, optimising resource utilisation and increasing employee productivity.

Enhanced security

The most prominent benefit of an IAM solution is the enhanced security it offers. IAM solutions help prevent data breaches, cyber attacks, malicious activities and unauthorised user access. When an organisation has an IAM system in place, with the appropriate restrictions, it protects sensitive information and data from being exposed to unwanted users or systems.

Resource efficiency

Access management promotes resource efficiency through its controlling mechanisms. An efficient access management system has predefined rules and automated processes which ultimately optimises access rights and reduces the risk of resource misuse. In addition, having more granular control and visibility over access rights helps organisations allocate resources and grant permissions effectively.

Increased productivity

Another notable benefit of an IAM solution is that it increases productivity by enhancing the user experience. Users have a quick and seamless login process with an IAM solution through its simple authentication methods. For instance, token-based authentication allows users to verify their identity by receiving an access token. This allows users to gain access to the respective network until the token expires, eliminating the need for users to re-enter their credentials each time they visit the network.