Here is how monitoring of IDM system doesn’t let anything challenge your organization’s cybersecurity.
There may be differences in opinion regarding what is necessary for a company, but when it comes to cybersecurity, most experts agree that monitoring is essential for any digital organization.
Monitoring is crucial for cyber security because it allows organizations to detect and respond to potential threats in real time. This includes:
a) monitoring network traffic for unusual activity
b) monitoring for vulnerabilities in software and systems
c) monitoring for suspicious behavior by employees or outsiders.
By monitoring for potential threats continuously, organizations can proactively address vulnerabilities and minimize the risk of a security breach. Additionally, monitoring can help organizations meet compliance requirements and demonstrate due diligence in the event of a security incident.
Plenty of organizations still neglect monitoring of their IDM system
Considering that only 20% of organizations have visibility over their users and only 10% monitor user data access, there is a problem that is common among so many organizations: neglect of monitoring. Many of them may not have the resources or expertise to properly monitor their Identity Management systems, or they may not be aware of the importance of monitoring in preventing data breaches and maintaining compliance.
Additionally, some organizations may lack insight into their IDM systems and may not be able to detect suspicious activity or unauthorized access.
It’s important to note that neglecting the monitoring of Identity Management systems can have serious consequences, such as data breaches and non-compliance with regulations, which can lead to significant financial and reputational damage. It’s crucial for organizations to make sure they have a robust and effective monitoring system in place as part of their overall security strategy.
Absence of/poor monitoring of Identity Management system takes its toll
It is a known problem that many organizations have had data breaches and security incidents due to a lack of proper monitoring of their Identity Management systems. For example, in a recent study from Verizon, it was found that more than 60% of data breaches were caused by compromised credentials. This highlights the importance of having an effective Identity Management system in place and monitoring it regularly to detect and prevent unauthorized access.
Furthermore, there are many examples of organizations that have suffered from data breaches and security incidents due to a lack of proper monitoring of their Identity Management systems. Some examples, including large companies such as Yahoo, Target, and Marriott, have all suffered data breaches that have been linked to compromised credentials and a lack of proper monitoring of access to sensitive information.
It’s worth noting that organizations of all sizes and types can be affected by bad monitoring of their IDM system, and that it’s not only large companies that are targeted but also small and medium-sized organizations that are also at risk.
Role of monitoring in a war against cyber threats
What all of us already know from cybersecurity experts is that there are two types of threats: insider and outsider. Insider threats refer to security breaches caused by employees, contractors, or other individuals who have authorized access to an organization’s systems and data. The fact that these threats can be intentional, such as when an employee steals sensitive information, is horrifying. More often, insider threats are unintentional, e.g., when an employee falls victim to a phishing attack or doesn’t bother to take care of their credentials properly (stores them unsafely or has a weak password).
Outsider threats refer to security breaches caused by individuals/groups who do not have authorized access to an organization’s systems and data, i.e., hacking attempts, phishing scams, and other types of cyberattacks. Outsider threats can be difficult to detect and prevent because they often originate from external sources and may not be immediately visible to the organization. However, with the real-time monitoring of an IDM system, it becomes possible to track every change and event to detect a malicious user or action.
In terms of which type of threat is worse, it depends on the specific scenario and the level of risk involved. It’s important for organizations to be aware of both types of threats and implement measures to prevent and detect them.
“Both insider and outsider threats can be detrimental to cybersecurity, but they present different types of risks. Monitoring of users and access can help organizations of different sizes to mitigate security risks significantly.”
Florian Meile, SKyPRO Executive Board Member
Monitoring of users’ identities contributes to effective data breach prevention
Monitoring of user identities can help prevent data breaches by detecting and preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information. By tracking who is accessing systems and resources, and flagging any suspicious activity, organizations can identify and respond to potential threats before they can cause significant damage.
Additionally, monitoring of user identities can also help organizations to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements by providing a detailed record of who has accessed sensitive information and when.
However, it is important to note that monitoring of user identities alone may not be sufficient to prevent data breaches. It should be part of a comprehensive security strategy that includes other measures such as encryption, access control, and incident response.
It’s also important to have a consistent and clear Identity Management system and practices in place to ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive information and that their access is regularly reviewed and revoked as needed.
Let’s dive into the use cases for monitoring IDM system
● Detecting and preventing unauthorized access: By monitoring access to systems and resources, organizations can detect and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
● Identifying and responding to security incidents: Monitoring can help organizations to detect and respond to security incidents, such as data breaches, by identifying suspicious activity and providing detailed information on who accessed sensitive information and when.
● Maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements: Organizations can use monitoring to provide a detailed record of access to sensitive information, which can be used to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements.
● Identifying and revoking stale accounts: Regular monitoring can help organizations to identify and revoke stale accounts, which are accounts that are no longer in use or that belong to employees who have left the organization.
● Identifying and revoking compromised accounts: Monitoring can also help organizations to identify and revoke compromised accounts, which are accounts that have been hacked or otherwise compromised.
● Automated reporting: Automated reporting can be generated from monitoring data, which can help organizations to identify trends and patterns that may indicate a security incident or vulnerability.
● Improving overall security: Overall security can be improved by monitoring the identity management system, as it allows organizations to track and control access to systems and resources, detect and respond to security incidents, and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.
Benefits your organization will get from well-run Identity and Access Management
Well-run Identity Management, which includes monitoring, has multiple benefits:
- Improved security: Managing and monitoring identities and access to systems and resources can improve security significantly by preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information and detecting and responding to security breaches.
- Compliance with regulatory requirements: IDM can help organizations maintain compliance with regulatory requirements by providing a detailed record of access to sensitive information and demonstrating that appropriate controls are in place.
- Increased productivity: By automating the provisioning and de-provisioning of access, organizations can reduce the time and effort required to manage identities and access, which can increase productivity.
- Better data governance: By managing identities and access, organizations can improve data governance by ensuring that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information and that access is regularly reviewed and revoked as needed.
- Cost savings: By automating the provisioning and de-provisioning of access, organizations can reduce the costs associated with managing identities and access.
- Improved user experience: User experience means a lot these days. With well-run Identity and Access Management, user experience can be improved by providing users with easy and secure access to the systems and resources they need to do their work.
- Better risk management: With well-run, monitored Identity Management system, organizations can identify and manage access-related risks and ensure that organization’s data is being accessed by the right people, at the right time, and under the right conditions.
Monitoring is crucial for access control and ensuring rock-solid security in general because it allows organizations to track who is accessing their systems, data, and resources, and it also helps them to detect and prevent unauthorized access. Thanks to the monitoring of an IDM system, sensitive data is protected, compliance with regulatory requirements is maintained, and the integrity and availability of critical systems and data are ensured. Moreover, monitoring can also be used to detect and respond to security incidents and to perform forensic analysis after an incident (God forbid) has occurred.
To get maximum benefits from monitoring, make sure that your solution is not prone to generating false alarms, isn’t difficult to integrate with other systems, doesn’t overburden your IT resources, and doesn’t have lack of automation. Experts are here for you so that you go for the right solution or to ensure you’re already using the right one.