Identity and access management (IDAM) is the process of managing digital identities within an organisation, which includes restricting or allowing access to certain data.
It's a vital step in securing the data your organisation holds, and makes sure that anyone who is accessing your data is authorised to.
An IDAM solution grants every person in an organisation a certain level of access to company data, based on specific criteria. This means that no one can view or edit any documents or data that they have not been given authorisation to.
As well as keeping data secure, there are other benefits to using an IDAM solution. Here are just a few...
Better user experience
Like the name suggests, Single Sign-on (SSO) lets your users access lots of different applications through just one account. This gives a much better user experience than being prompted to enter passwords repeatedly and means users don't have to remember - and input - lots of different passwords. This is especially useful in today's working environments, when people use lots of applications but don't want to remember lots of passwords.
Enhanced security
Because Single Sign-on lets you access multiple applications through just one password, there needs to be additional security to make sure this isn't a recipe for disaster. This comes in the form of multifactor authentication. Multifactor authentication ensures that anyone who tries to access your network is authorised to do so, and means that, if your device falls into the wrong hands, the person who has it won't be able to access anything in the unlikely event they guess the password.
This can go hand in hand with SSO, so while users will only require one account to access multiple apps, they will be required to enter a code sent to their phone or email – whichever is registered to the account – to verify they are allowed access. This combination gives the best of both worlds, making it easy for users to access what they need to while also ensuring security is tight around it.
Increased productivity
IDAM solutions let you automate user provisioning, so you save time on manually setting up new employee access. The benefits of this are two fold: not only can you put your time to better use, but new employees can access the files and applications they need to work, more quickly. Self-service tools take this even further, letting new users access different areas of the system without relying on the IT team to grant permission. All in all, it means your new users can get to work fast, and your IT team can put their time to better use.
Easier auditing
Consolidating user identities and passwords means IT teams can easily track and audit how, when and where a user's credentials are used. This is very helpful if a user's credentials are compromised, letting IT teams identify who the user is and what possible data has been accessed. An audit trail also makes it easier to track provisioning and deprovisioning of leavers and new starters, so you can be sure people who have left the business have had their access removed.
Enable access from anywhere
IDAM solutions and SSO lets users access interconnected systems wherever they’re located. This is really useful for large companies with offices in multiple locations, remote workers and partners or clients. It also allows users to access applications on any device, including smartphones and tablets.
Core has created a series of blogs on identity and access management which further explains the benefits, particularly for public sector bodies.
