Identity and access management (IAM) is fundamental to modern cybersecurity and operational efficiency. It allows organizations to secure their data, comply with regulations, improve user productivity, and build a strong foundation for trustworthy and successful business operations. A robust IAM solution also aids in protecting APIs and applications that are built to accelerate the digitalization of services, enabling growth and customer loyalty. This article will examine some of the best practices IT practitioners should follow when working with IAM systems. Even though some of the suggestions are not necessarily new, they still need to be widely adopted to be effective and should be considered as soon as possible.
1. Zero-Trust on Identity
As mentioned in the introduction, APIs are critical in accelerating enterprise digital transformation. However, building and managing multiple APIs comes with various security risks since API calls transfer sensitive data that cyber criminals can easily access if the API endpoints are not strongly secured. A zero-trust approach, where no device or service is trusted, needs a strong focus on identity. By using token-based OAuth solutions, identity credentials can flow through services in a secure and integrity-protected way. This enables all parts of a system to properly authorize requests, trusting only the data coming directly from the IAM system.