It is in every company’s best interest to protect its own resources effectively – especially as the threats to cyber security are constantly increasing. In addition, the legal requirements that companies must fulfill with regard to compliance and data protection are becoming increasingly complex. Automated identity management and controlled access to data and applications play a crucial role in meeting these demanding requirements. Anyone who deals with these topics will inevitably come across a number of terms and abbreviations that can be confusing. But what do abbreviations such as IAM and IGA stand for? And how can the terms be distinguished from one another?
Identity & Access Management deals with the management of identities and access to resources in an IT landscape. The term combines the various processes and technologies that support companies in controlling digital identities and their access requests. The aim is to control access to information and resources and to ensure that users can only access the data required for their respective roles. IAM plays a fundamental role in meeting compliance and audit requirements. Important aspects for verifying an identity are multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign-on (SSO). Thanks to SSO, users only have to log in once and gain direct access to all work-related systems and applications.
Identity & Access Management includes three basic functions:
Access Management
Access Management enables companies to identify, track, control and manage user access to systems and applications on the network. Every user should be able to authenticate and log in securely in order to access the applications relevant to them.
Identity Governance & Administration (IGA)
Identity Governance & Administration (IGA) is used to record identity data, grant and withdraw access and implement role- and policy-based access controls. In addition to the pure management of access rights, the focus is also on the control, monitoring and enforcement of identity policies.
Privileged Access Management (PAM)
Privileged Access Management (PAM) supports companies in managing and controlling extended access rights for users who require extended access in the entire IT environment. A PAM solution identifies the people, processes and technologies that require privileged access, defines the necessary policies and implements them.
Each of the three aspects of IAM in itself brings considerable benefits to companies by increasing security, improving business processes and employee productivity and meeting compliance requirements for audits. Their harmonious interaction results in even greater added value, as all identities have simple but secure access to everything they need for their work.
Identity Governance & Administration is a sub-discipline of Identity & Access Management (see above) and supports companies in regulating access and authorizations in their system landscape. IGA goes beyond the pure management of access rights and refers to the control, monitoring and enforcement of identity policies. The aim is to minimize identity risks, ensure adherence to compliance guidelines and control the entire identity management lifecycle.
Each identity should be able to work productively by granting the right access rights to the relevant lines of business. In accordance with the principle of least privilege, each user should be granted as few access rights as possible, but as many as necessary. This minimization of access rights is also an integral part of applicable security standards and legal requirements such as the international standard ISO 27001 or the EU directive NIS 2. If too many access rights are granted, this poses an enormous security risk because cyber criminals can misuse such far-reaching authorizations and cause massive damage. The segregation of duties prevents dangerous combinations of access rights.
IGA creates transparency as to who has access to what and is indispensable when it comes to preventing inappropriate or risky access. With an effective IGA solution, access to sensitive information can be controlled, identity theft prevented and the integrity of company data maintained. IGA monitors compliance with security and privacy policies that require regulatory compliance and industry standards, protecting organizations from legal consequences and reputational damage. In addition, the automation of identity management reduces the workload of the IT department.
IAM and IGA are not contradictory concepts, but are closely linked. Both terms refer to the prevention of unauthorized access to systems and data. As a sub-discipline of Identity & Access Management, Identity Governance & Administration deals with the control, traceability and compliance of digital identities. IGA solutions enable companies to provide automated access to an ever-growing number of technological resources while managing potential security and compliance risks. Minimized risk of data leakage, regulatory compliance and greater efficiency in managing user access – the many benefits of IAM and IGA make it an integral part of any company’s security strategy.