Security and audit – too often sepearated. So how is an identity access review important to your security posture?
For any organization, maintaining a robust security posture is essential to information security. Security posture, as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is the “security status of an enterprise’s networks, information, and systems based on information security resources (e.g., people, hardware, software, policies) and capabilities in place to manage the defense of the enterprise and to react as the situation changes.” The importance of a strong security posture has become critical as cybersecurity and crime continue to evolve in an increasingly digital world.
With a firm security posture, it is easier for an organization to predict and react to threats, making it better poised to remedy any potential vulnerabilities. Reducing or eliminating risks wherever possible makes it more difficult for resources and data to be exploited for fraud and other criminal activities. While there are many aspects of an efficient security posture, one key element is identity access reviews.
Recommended by the NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework to be conducted on a continual basis, quarterly preferred, access reviews are essential for good cybersecurity practices and identity governance. During an access review, all users that are able to access assets within the organization’s system gets reviewed. Done to ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive information, it allows the reviewer to identify if someone who should not have access to particular resources does.
Quick identification and revocation of authorizations help to keep data secure from unauthorized use and data breaches. Access reviews and identity governance have become increasingly important as complex work lifecycles evolve, cloud-based systems gain widespread adoption, and the number of users working remotely grows. It is essential that organizations have a detailed understanding of exactly who they have given information access to so that they know when access must be revoked.
Without a security posture that has been strategically implemented and upheld, organizations are left vulnerable to cyber attacks. If information meant to be secure is able to be accessed by parties with malicious intent, severe damage can be done to an organization’s customers and reputation. Instead, making security a top priority will allow organizations to be better prepared to face threats and withstand cyber attacks.
Establishing regular access reviews as a key component of any organization’s security posture will ensure that data is kept secure, risks are minimized, and customers can feel confident that their information is being protected. Access reviews serve as an essential line of defense in any security postures against criminals seeking to uncover sensitive information.
Automate your Access Reviews with YouAttest
Access reviews play directly into an organization’s identity audit, whether internal or external. To ensure compliance with identity governance regulations, such as SOX, SOC 2, ISO27001, PCI-DSS and/or HITRUST, identity audits analyze user accounts within an organization’s system. During an identity audit, companies want to make sure that those accessing sensitive information are authorized and maintaining compliance with information security protocols and regulations.
YouAttest is the only cloud-based IGA platform that deploys in minutes via application SSO to platforms like Okta. YouAttest, a pure cloud-based solution uses pre-built APIs into Okta to pull all the necessary information for a full IGA ausit. YouAttest:
- Attest to users, groups, roles and applications
- Intelligent delegation: Auto-delegation on manger roles
- Integrated Revocation
- .CSV uploads
- Reminder emails and updates
- Multiple Reviewers
- RBAC functionality
- Triggers on key security events
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YouAttest automates the creation and review of these access reviews. To learn more about YouAttest, please please watch the recorded YouAttest webinar: Addressing Insider Threat with Access Reviews. Or write us @ info@youattest.com.
