What is Identity and Access Management?

Identity and access management (IAM) or identity management (IdM) is a framework of policies used to ensure that users have appropriate access to systems, files, networks, databases, and other resources based on their role within the organization. IAM provides a framework for managing identities, their access to systems, and their roles and privileges an enterprise.

IAM plays a critical role in an organization’s IT security strategy. As organizations grow, so do the number of applications, servers, and databases used. Access to the organization’s resources is typically managed through IAM solutions, which offer capabilities like single sign-on, provisioning, user management, access control, and governance. But securing an organizations’ sensitive data and applications requires more. Provisioned users, regardless of privileges, can leave an organization exposed if activity of their usage is not monitored and documented properly.

IAM solutions help IT teams answer ‘Who has access to what?’. But, in order to achieve complete user visibility, privileged access management solutions address the remaining questions: ‘Is that access appropriate?’ and ‘Is that access being used appropriately?’

Most organizations that implement privileged access management (PAM) and IAM have done them independently but are missing some key values that could come from their integration. Getting control over user access, permissions and rights to address a security, compliance or IT efficiency challenge tends to be the driver in adopting an IAM solution.

But IAM solutions only go so far. PAM solutions take security and compliance a step further by helping IT teams get control over privileged users and accounts, and provide granular visibility on how identities are actually being used.

An Integrated Approach to Identity and Access Management and Privileged Access Management

The PowerBroker Privileged Access Management Platform integrates with SailPoint IdentityIQ, enabling organizations to effectively manage user access for both privileged and non-privileged accounts. IT organizations get full visibility into not only role assignments and user access, but also all ongoing user and role activity including asset risk with advanced analytics.

Key capabilities include:

Streamline the Role Delegation Process: Delegate roles in Active Directory or LDAP accounts from SailPoint IdentityIQ into PowerBroker Password Safe, simplifying user administration and system access.

Centralize Role Management: Improve workflow and consistency by managing all user roles through the BeyondTrust Privileged Access Management Platform for least privileged access through Password Safe storage.

Enforce Policies Consistently: Leverage filters in the PowerBroker Privileged Access Management Platform to specify when and which policies from SailPoint IdentityIQ should apply to which assets by Role.

Delegate Vulnerability Information: Utilize SailPoint IdentityIQ Roles to control vulnerability management tasks from allowing IT to view assets, run scans, review individual results, deploy patches, and generate vulnerability management risk reports by team.

Review Privileged Access: SailPoint IdentityIQ Roles can delegate privileged access tasks by reviewer, auditor, and rule creator for any platform including Unix, Linux, Windows, and Mac – reducing risk with privileged access management and identity and access management.

Complete Role Integration & Import: When a user is added to a role within SailPoint IdentityIQ, membership in this role provides direct access to the PowerBroker Platform, providing controlled privileged access and complete auditing of privileged user activity. The account and its entitlement access data is fed back to IdentityIQ directly via API, providing organizations with complete visibility into user access.

Dynamic Entitlement Export & Reporting: All entitlements granted by the PowerBroker Platform are provided directly to SailPoint via API, providing complete support of out-of-station processes defined in IdentityIQ by including ad hoc reviews of user access as well as automated access certifications.

Automated Safe Enabling API: Direct API-based integration provides immediate provisioning of and visibility into all privileged access. Depending on role membership, users may be granted immediate run time access to request passwords or sessions for managed privileged accounts, and be provided granular least privilege policies. This access is fed back into IdentityIQ allowing an organization complete control of privileged access and visibility down to the keystroke.

Dynamic Activity Audit & Reporting: The PowerBroker Platform provides complete visibility and control of privileged access and extensive reporting, allowing organizations effectively answer: Is that access being used appropriately?

For more information, contact us for a strategy session.