Why Do You Need Access Management Software?

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Nowadays, managing who can access your organization's SaaS applications and data is crucial. With increasing data breaches and unauthorized access, robust access management software is necessary. 

Access management software streamlines identity governance and ensures that the right people have access to the right resources at the right time. This way, you don’t need to worry about the threats of unmanaged access. This article will discuss the importance of choosing access management software and the aspects to look for when choosing one. 

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TL;DR

• Access management software controls SaaS application access, enhancing organizational security through advanced authentication and permission controls.
• Automated user provisioning and deprovisioning reduce human errors and minimize insider threats by managing access based on employee roles.
• Manual access management creates significant security vulnerabilities and inconsistent access controls across organizational systems.
• Key software features include SSO, MFA, automated provisioning, granular access controls, and real-time monitoring.
• CloudEagle.ai offers comprehensive SaaS access management with integrated security and compliance features.

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What is Access Management?

Access management is the process of controlling and monitoring who can access your organization’s SaaS applications and data. It ensures that only authorized individuals—based on their roles, responsibilities, and needs—can interact with sensitive resources. 

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With robust access management software, you gain visibility and control over user activity. You can quickly grant or revoke access, ensuring that employees and third parties have only the permissions they need. Thus, you can protect sensitive information and remain compliant with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO standards.

Additionally, effective access management streamlines how you handle user permissions across multiple platforms. It creates a secure environment where you can focus on your business without worrying about access vulnerabilities.

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Why Do You Need Access Management Software?

1. Enhanced security posture 

Access management software ensures that only authorized individuals can access sensitive systems and applications. Various advanced security measures, such as single sign-on and multi-factor authentication, prevent unauthorized access. 

As access management software can automate the overall user permission management process, there will be fewer human errors, which is one of the leading causes of security breaches. It also provides real-time monitoring and alerts for suspicious activities to respond to security threats ASAP. 

2. Streamline Access Control

Access management software comes with advanced control mechanisms such as privileged access, role-based access, and time-based access. For starters, privileged access ensures that highly sensitive data are available only to specific individuals. This reduces the risk of insider threats and unauthorized breaches.

Role-based access control (RBAC) allows you to assign permissions based on predefined roles within your organization. Thus, users only have access to what they need for their job responsibilities without any over provisioning or misuse. 

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Meanwhile, time-based access grants permissions for a limited period. For instance, a contractor might need access during a project or a staff member might require temporary access during a shift. Once the defined time period ends, the permissions are automatically revoked.

3. Automate Onboarding and Offboarding 

Access management software ensures efficiency and security at every step. When a new employee joins, the software automatically assigns the appropriate access permissions based on their role and department. No need to worry about the administrative burden of manually setting up access for each individual.

Offboarding is equally crucial. When an employee leaves the organization, access management software promptly revokes all access to systems. This prevents former employees from retaining access to sensitive resources, which could lead to potential security breaches. 

4. Minimized insider threats

Insider threats happen when employees with authorized access can intentionally or unintentionally compromise sensitive information as access management software implements strict controls over who can access what and when you can minimize this risk. 

Additionally, access management software's continuous monitoring and auditing features track user activity in real-time. You can detect anomalies such as unauthorized access attempts or unusual data usage patterns and respond promptly to potential threats.

Privileged access management further restricts highly sensitive accounts, making them harder to exploit. The software also facilitates quick access revocation if an employee’s behavior raises red flags. 

5. Optimize Costs

Access management software can significantly reduce costs in several areas, particularly when it comes to security breaches and compliance penalties. Data breaches and unauthorized access can result in hefty fines and legal fees. With access management software, you can prevent these incidents and avoid any costly consequences. 

In addition to safeguarding against breaches, access management software helps ensure compliance with industry regulations. Non-compliance can lead to severe financial penalties, but with automated user access controls and audit trails, you can easily demonstrate adherence to regulatory requirements. 

Moreover, automating key processes will also reduce the time and resources spent on manual management tasks. This will free up your IT and security teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. 

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The Challenges of Managing Access Without Software

1. Manual Processes and Errors

Relying on manual processes for managing user access often leads to inefficiencies, which can affect your organization’s security and productivity. 

Provisioning new users and assigning them permissions manually can be time-consuming and error-prone. Critical details, such as ensuring that permissions are promptly revoked when an employee leaves, can be easy to overlook.

Delays in provisioning can prevent new employees or contractors from accessing the tools they need to work. This will not only reduce productivity but also cause frustration among your employees. On the other hand, errors during deprovisioning, like forgetting to disable an account, can leave sensitive resources vulnerable to unauthorized access.

2. Inconsistent Access Control

As mentioned earlier, poor access control will create significant security gaps in your company. When access controls are not standardized, some users may have more permissions than necessary. On the other hand, others may lack access to essential tools, hindering their productivity. 

These inconsistencies are especially problematic when permissions aren’t regularly reviewed or updated as roles and responsibilities change. For example, an employee who transitions to a different department might retain access to systems they no longer need. 

This will undoubtedly expose sensitive data and information to unnecessary risks. Similarly, inconsistent controls make it difficult to enforce security policies uniformly, leaving your organization vulnerable to both insider threats and external attacks.

3. Difficulty in Tracking User Activity

It’s challenging to track who accessed what applications, when, and for what purpose. This is true, especially when your organization relies on multiple platforms and tools with disparate logging systems.

The lack of visibility into user behavior can blind you to suspicious activities or potential security incidents. 

For instance, you may not notice if an employee is accessing sensitive data they don’t need for their role or if an unauthorized login attempt goes unchecked. These blind spots increase the likelihood of data breaches and make it harder to respond promptly to security threats.

Additionally, manual auditing of access logs is time-consuming and prone to errors, making it difficult to meet compliance requirements. Without access management software, maintaining accountability and transparency becomes a significant challenge. 

4. Increased attack surface

At some point, your business may face a larger and more vulnerable attack surface. Manually managing access often results in outdated or excessive permissions, such as unused accounts or credentials. These dormant accounts provide an easy entry point for attackers looking to exploit weak links in your security.

Manual access management will lead to fragmented controls across different platforms as your organization grows and adopts more tools and systems. This fragmentation makes it harder to enforce consistent security policies, increasing the chances of unauthorized access. 

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Features to Look for in Access Management Software

1. Single Sign-On (SSO)

Single Sign-On provides a secure way for users to access multiple applications with a single set of login credentials. With SSO, users no longer need to remember numerous passwords for different systems. Therefore, it will reduce the risk of password fatigue and the temptation to reuse weak passwords.

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For your organization, SSO simplifies user management by centralizing authentication. This not only enhances security but also improves productivity by minimizing time spent on login-related issues. IT teams can focus on more strategic tasks instead of resetting forgotten passwords or troubleshooting login errors.

Additionally, SSO reduces potential attack vectors by consolidating authentication processes. When combined with MFA, it ensures robust protection while providing a user-friendly experience. 

2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

MFA adds an extra layer of security over traditional passwords. With MFA, users must verify their identity through multiple methods, such as a password or a one-time code sent to their phone. Sometimes, they need to use biometric data like a fingerprint or facial recognition before gaining access to your systems.

This feature drastically reduces the risk of unauthorized access, even if a password is stolen or compromised. You can protect your applications and sensitive data from cyberattacks, including phishing and brute-force attacks.

MFA also supports various authentication methods, allowing you to choose what best suits your security needs and user preferences. Whether it's using an authentication app, hardware token, or SMS code, MFA balances robust protection with convenience.

3. Automated User Provisioning and Deprovisioning

Automated user provisioning and deprovisioning is another important feature to look for in an access management software. When a new employee joins, the software automatically assigns permissions based on their role. This eliminates delays and minimizes the risk of manual errors during onboarding.

The access management software should also handle deprovisioning properly. When employees leave or change roles, their access is immediately revoked or adjusted. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access, especially from dormant accounts that malicious actors could exploit.

4. Granular Access Controls

With granular access control, you can ensure that every individual has exactly the level of access they need. This feature is vital for maintaining security while supporting productivity. When you assign permissions based on specific criteria to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data and systems.

For example, with role-based access control (RBAC), you can align permissions with a user’s job function. Time-based controls can further restrict access to specific periods, such as during a project or shift, automatically revoking permissions when they are no longer needed.

Granular controls also help you to protect high-risk areas by limiting privileged access to critical systems and closely monitoring these accounts. This reduces the attack surface and helps prevent both internal and external threats.

5. Real-Time Monitoring and Auditing

Real-time monitoring and auditing provide ongoing visibility into user activity across your organization’s systems. With real-time monitoring, you can track login attempts, access requests, and changes to user permissions as they happen. 

Auditing features give you a detailed record of who accessed what, when, and for what purpose, which is essential for security and compliance. These logs can help you identify unusual patterns, such as unauthorized access or excessive data downloads. 

This continuous visibility allows your security teams to respond quickly to potential threats, ensuring that you can mitigate risks before they escalate. Additionally, real-time auditing helps ensure compliance with regulatory requirements by providing an easily accessible, accurate trail of user activity.

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Streamline Access Management with CloudEagle

CloudEagle.ai is a SaaS management and procurement platform designed to help you discover, optimize, govern, and renew your SaaS licenses.

Featuring comprehensive identity and access management capabilities, CloudEagle.ai offers a centralized dashboard that enables you to control user access, permissions, and roles.

With over 500 integrations, including with SSO, finance, and HRIS systems, CloudEagle.ai provides an all-encompassing solution for simplifying identity and access management.

Thanks to its powerful integration tools, CloudEagle.ai gives you full visibility into your users and their application access. It makes it easy to manage all users from one platform, analyze access, and use workflows to efficiently onboard and offboard users.

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Self-Service App Catalog

CloudEagle.ai streamlines app access requests for both employees and administrators through a self-service app catalog. Administrators are notified via Slack and email whenever an employee submits a new request for access.

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Employees can easily view their current app access and request additional apps directly through Slack. If a similar app is already available, they are redirected to use it, helping to avoid redundant procurements.

Automated App Access Reviews

With CloudEagle.ai, you can automate your SOC 2 and ISO 27001 access reviews. No more tedious logging into each app to review access or scrambling to provide proof of deprovisioning. 

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Everything you need is right at your fingertips on one streamlined dashboard, making compliance effortless and hassle-free.

Seamless Access Control

CloudEagle.ai provides full visibility into who is accessing your applications, the reasons behind their access, and their usage patterns. With centralized control, you can easily manage access, streamlining everything from intake to provisioning and deprovisioning—all from a single platform.

The platform also simplifies compliance and security audits by offering easy access to application logs. Through the CloudEagle.ai portal, you can quickly export detailed records of who has access to each application.

Automation is also built into the onboarding and offboarding processes. With zero-touch onboarding for both SCIM and non-SCIM apps, employees receive the appropriate application access from day one.

Automated triggers ensure that access is granted or revoked immediately as team members join or leave. At the same time, Just-In-Time Access delivers permissions precisely when needed, minimizing delays and improving operational efficiency.

Time-Based Access 

CloudEagle.ai allows you to provide temporary access to critical systems—such as AWS root—for a set duration. Access is automatically revoked once the task is complete, giving you peace of mind, knowing that it won’t linger unnecessarily and potentially expose your systems to risk. 

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You can also use this feature to assign time-based access for contractors, freelancers, or temporary workers, tailoring permissions to their needs. By doing so, you maintain tight control over your security protocols without the hassle of manually managing access revocation.

Privileged Access Management

CloudEagle.ai ensures privileged accounts are properly managed by automating the assignment of appropriate access levels. This guarantees that only authorized individuals receive elevated access to critical systems like AWS and NetSuite, reducing the risk of unauthorized use. 

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CloudEagle.ai can continuously monitoring and managing these accounts, helping you maintain security and compliance, while simplifying the process of managing access. Its automation also minimizes the chances of human error, ensuring your sensitive systems are protected without adding administrative overhead.

Employee Provisioning and Deprovisioning

CloudEagle.ai simplifies access management with auto-provisioning workflows, allowing you to assign application access to new users based on their roles and departments. This ensures that new employees can use the necessary tools immediately, boosting productivity from day one.

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The platform also provides excellent automated user offboarding, minimizing the security risks associated with manual access revocation. It can automatically revoke access for inactive accounts after a specified period, helping to maintain stronger security.

For example, Remediant utilized CloudEagle.ai to implement seamless automated user provisioning and deprovisioning, improving their operational efficiency.

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Conclusion

As a business owner, you must pay close attention to your business’s access management practices. The risks associated with unauthorized access and data breaches will have dire consequences for your business. 

However, when choosing reliable access management software, you don’t need to worry about manual processes. Moreover, you can maintain a secure and compliant business environment. 

Are you looking for an effective access management platform? CloudEagle.ai is here to help. Schedule a demo with our experts to see how you can secure your SaaS ecosystem. 

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