With remote working becoming the new normal, information security remains one of the most crucial factors in terms of strengthening the identity and access management (IAM) infrastructure.
IAM governs the user’s access to a system because of all the moving parts inherent in a remote-working scenario – cloud-based environment, having sophisticated and specific tools to identify and control users and their devices are rapidly turning into a necessity.
That is because companies need a better defense mechanism against cyber-attacks, which are relentless and potentially devastating. Especially if businesses are planning to transition to remote workers or offices, cloud-based tools have become even more necessary. As a result, IAM has become a compulsory security strategy. Effective IAM strategies can help protect the business while keeping things intuitive and simple for users.
Two-factor authentication and MFA are the critical initial steps in any security strategy. Simply having an active MFA in place can prevent 99.9% of attacks on the accounts, Microsoft research has confirmed.
MFA adds layers of security with additional credentials, generally including a security question or PIN, something a user has, including a phone or a smart card, or something a user is incorporating a biometric identifier.
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Passwords alone remain highly vulnerable. For this reason, they’re often considered as the weakest link in an organization’s security. It’s estimated that about 81% of hacking-related data breaches use weak or stolen passwords.
Using MFA with a single sign-on (SSO) protocol can make everything more effective and user-friendly. And, as the company scales up, keeping things as simple as possible is important to keep the new remote workers secure.
If an organization uses a range of cloud apps, for instance, any SSO tool that can generate multiple layers of security by storing all of these logins so that only a trusted user needs to sign in once for the work session. But they will be prompted for additional verification under particular conditions, such as unusual behavior, or a new location, and so on.
Also, mitigating risks when employees can use their own devices as a state of security for SMEs is mandatory. Many workers are relying on their own devices for work tasks these days. Primarily if firms operate with a remote workforce, they want to leverage a BYOD (bring-your-own-device) security solution so that the personal devices on a business network are just as secure as a company one.
An effective BYOD policy often requires a specific set of anti-malware and other security protocols to be placed on any device that accesses company information. It also requires devices to access company information through a specific app rather than a browser, for example, to ensure the configuration of the apps having robust protections.
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In a BYOD environment, IAM is critical, as these tools can evaluate different requests based on a specific location, device, and more to rate each security request. The most vital security strategy is to use the concept of “least privilege” or limiting the devices’ access to only the data and apps needed for workers to do their jobs.
Such a policy will limit the damage in case of any security breach. It also falls under the overall umbrella of Zero Trust, a security strategy that’s becoming more necessary in the cloud era.
Leveraging reliable mobile device management (MDM) practices goes hand in hand with BYOD. MDM provides the ability to wipe or pin lock devices that were stolen or lost, enforcing compliance with company security infrastructure, remotely control the use of apps that allow access to company resources, and even onboard new devices easily into this secure system.
Also, needless to say, managing security risks across many platforms and devices without a centralized strategy that can be resource-intensive. It’s critical to realize, even passwords remain resource-intensive.
Passwords needed to manage and reset can suck a lot of time and energy from the IT staff; and this, in turn, can cost money and lost productivity. Going passwordless, allows enterprises to enforce the tightest security while making things simplified for all users.
Correspondingly, firms want to maximize productivity and minimize expenses as they scale. They are choosing a single solution that can enforce security despite all the cloud apps and remote users associated with helping substantially.
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Use comprehensive software solutions along with good MDM options, MFA tools, along with Zero Trust methodologies is the trick. Some tools help integrate all of these things and allow administrators to manage everything from a single platform as well as to integrate it with the overall security solutions.
Access management and operative identity strategy are some of the most crucial steps that can take for the company’s security today. Firms should start with prioritizing the data protection strategy, supporting remote users, and help the business to grow and thrive.
