Privileged access management (PAM) programs aim to secure the highest-risk access in an organization, including using privileged credentials like passwords, SSH keys and application secrets. So, how can PAM and identity security teams prepare for a passwordless future? The answer lies in a deeper examination of what ‘passwordless’ really means and how PAM programs are modernizing to protect new identities and environments.

Effective identity and access management (IAM) is crucial to both data security and regulatory compliance. Closely governing identities and their access rights is vital to ensuring that each individual has access to only the business systems, applications and data that they need to perform their roles. IAM reduces the risk of accidental data exposure or deletion by account owners, while also limiting the damage that could be done by a malicious actor who compromises a user account.

For modern organizations, identity and access management (IAM) solutions serve as the frontline defense for data security. They enable accurate and efficient management of identities and their access rights to content, applications and other IT resources. Activity auditing and analytics help IT teams promptly spot threats and respond effectively to preserve security and business continuity. Moreover, adopting IAM is a key step in embracing a Zero Trust security model.

Securing non-human identities is just as critical as managing human ones in today's complex IT landscapes. Non-human identities, such as service accounts, application identities, and IoT devices, play pivotal roles in automation and system integration. Managing these identities in hybrid environments, where on-premises Active Directory (AD) integrates with cloud-based Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), presents unique challenges.

As organizations increasingly adopt diverse cloud services to meet their varying computational and storage needs, multi-cloud security emerges as a critical concern. “In 2024, a majority of organizations (78%) are opting for hybrid and multi-cloud strategies. Of those organizations, 43% use a hybrid of cloud and on-premises infrastructure, and 35% have a multi-cloud strategy,” according to the 2024 Fortinet Cloud Security Report.

Five worthy reads is a regular column on five noteworthy items we have discovered while researching trending and timeless topics. This week, we’ll understand the significance of IAM and how it has transformed the identity game in various sectors.

One of the most important aspects of modern cybersecurity is managing access to IT systems and data. Indeed, organizations that lack robust access management are putting a lot on the line, from customer trust to business revenue. This article explains access control management, explores its key components, and provides best practices for implementation.

As businesses continue to expand their reliance on cloud security and privileged access management, the imperative to implement least privilege access in a manner both effective and efficient cannot be overstated. Yet, with the increasing complexity of information systems and the proliferation of privileged accounts, manually administering and enforcing the least privilege principle poses substantial challenges.

As companies look to realize the full value of Microsoft Security products, they may find a managed security service provider can play a key role in helping them maximize the value of their investment. For many companies, the Microsoft 365 E5 license makes good business sense. In addition to the Office suite of productivity applications, E5 includes expanded capabilities for Microsoft cybersecurity solutions for endpoint detection and response (EDR), identity and access management (IAM), and more.

Many organizations have yet to invest in a PAM solution because they can be expensive and complex. While this is true for some legacy PAM solutions, these organizations fail to consider the benefits that modern PAM solutions provide.