Zero-trust security, SSO and MFA are important features - but how you use these the right way? How do you onboard and offboard users in the best way possible? In this article, we’ll walk you through the best practices when using the right CIAM solution for your platform.
What Does CIAM Add to Your Platform?
CIAM makes your platform a lot more trustworthy, removing fraud from the get-go. For your customers, it enables social login, single-sign-on, and even MFA making it easy for them to log in to your platform even though there is more complex security in place.
From a business perspective, it allows you to look at analytics and make user-behaviour driven decisions in a manner that complies with privacy laws and compliance requirements. CIAM platforms typically use Open ID Connect and SAML frameworks for easy login. They also typically create a federated identity for your customer making it easy to use your platform from different channels and devices.
Aside, from adding transparency to your platform (with consent forms) it also puts in place brute force protection and protects customer information from anyone looking to exploit it.
How Do You Use CIAM Effectively?
1. Prioritize User Experience Above Everything
Just like any product - after from solving a problem in the market, user experience always takes priority. First and foremost, it can make the sign up process a lot easier with gradual data requests and social logins (like Google or Facebook) - which can allow you to get basic information with giving the user any hassle.
But more than this, it enables risk based authentication which means the user need not sign in every single time (this goes specifically for CIAM with SSO). Then you also have frameworks like FIDO2 that make authentication easier using your device passkeys like biometrics or your device’s passcode.
You can also make things like account recovery automated and easy to complete by the user using email OTPs or SMS OTPs. One major aspect you need to look into however, is it allows you to personalize your user’s experience based on behaviour. This should always happen in manner that is compliant with privacy and data compliance laws.
2. Communicate With Customer How Their Data Will Need to be Used and the Visibility of Sensitive Information
In a digital world - transparency is not just a feature but an absolute requirement. For users, CIAM platforms allow the use of consent forms during sign up to let users know how their data is being used. Aside from this, it also allows the use of data anonimization - which allows you to use user information to design new features and functionality without overstepping any compliance or privacy laws.
Another objective of CIAM, is data minimization this can be done through allowing the users to agee what type of data they share and how it can be used. This is typically done through the settings dashboard on platforms and can be streamlined through your CIAM allowing users the option to discard the use of their metadata if they deem so.
Aside from these things, letting users know which aspects of their information is public versus private is also required. This also covers what amount of information of the user can be shared with third-parties and third-party vendors.
3. Stay Up to Date With Compliance Standards
To properly use CIAM and stay up to date with compliance standards, it is essential to integrate industry-specific regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and SOC 2 during the configuration phase of your CIAM solution.
Maintaining compliance starts with defining granular access control policies based on user roles, behaviors, and data sensitivity. Using context-aware authentication measures, like multi-factor authentication (MFA), based on factors like location or device type, definitely adds additional layers of protection to your security.
Many modern CIAM solutions support more advanced features like biometrics, single sign-on (SSO), and adaptive authentication. This helps create both security and user convenience.
Aside from this, for automated user lifecycle management, features like automated provisioning and de-provisioning, adds to your operational efficiency.
With real-time monitoring capabilities, your CIAM platform can quickly detect and respond to compliance violations, improving security across all access points.
4. Identity Verification to Prevent Fraud
During user registration or login, using multi-layered identity verification methods, like biometrics, SMS-based OTPs, or smart card authentication, helps improve security without sacrificing convenience.
Modern CIAM platforms support adaptive authentication, by dynamically adjusting the verification level based on aspects like user behavior, location, or device type.
In addition, using risk-based authentication can identify potential fraud patterns, automatically prompting additional verification steps when suspicious activity is detected. Automated user verification workflows help streamline the process while ensuring compliance with security standards and reducing fraud risks across platforms.
5. Self Account Recovery Mechanisms
Self-account recovery mechanisms in CIAM platforms are essential for maintaining a balance between user convenience and security.
These mechanisms a lot of the time include identity verification steps like answering security questions, using email or SMS-based one-time passcodes (OTPs), and leveraging biometric authentication for streamlined recovery processes.
By using adaptive authentication in your framework, you can assess the risk level based on user behavior and device context, and make sure only legitimate recovery attempts are successful.
Moreover, allowing users to reset passwords or unlock accounts through secure methods without involving support teams reduces operational costs. CIAM solutions can also enable users to control and manage recovery preferences, enhancing both security and user autonomy.
6. SSO Frameworks and Omnichannel Login
with Single Sign-On (SSO) frameworks and omnichannel login, it is important to use a secure and reliable authentication process across various platforms and devices. SSO frameworks, like OAuth and OpenID Connect, allow users to authenticate once and gain access to multiple services. This makes user management a lot more simple while also improving security.
Omnichannel login also improves the user experience by allowing access from different devices and platforms. This includes mobile apps, websites, and IoT devices, while maintaining consistent security protocols for each of these.
Aside from that, using adaptive authentication helps make sure that login security adapts based on the user's context. This can include aspects like location or device, which helps with both convenience and fraud prevention. Here, CIAM can help create a unified experience while making sure there is compliance with privacy regulations.
7. Minimal Access and Data Gathering From Platform
Minimizing data gathering while keeping secure access is always a good practice. The process can be improved with features like progressive profiling, where user data is collected gradually based on interaction rather than upfront. This also helps make for a frictionless experience and reduces user drop-off.
Additionally, using technologies like OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect for Single Sign-On (SSO) allows users to login with little input. It also does this while improving security through risk-based authentication.
It’s essential to limit access to sensitive data, making sure that only the necessary information is collected and stored. This must be done in line with privacy regulations and best practices for data protection and compliance is a lot easier.
8. Make Sure it Has the Capability to Handle Large User Groups
To effectively use CIAM for large user groups, scalability and performance are key factors. Modern CIAM platforms are designed to handle high user volumes without compromising security or user experience. This can be achieved through distributed architectures, allowing for load balancing and high availability, ensuring the system can manage spikes in user activity.
Additionally, using Single Sign-On (SSO) with federated identity management simplifies access for large user bases by consolidating authentication processes.
CIAM platforms must also support bulk user provisioning and automated workflows for efficient user lifecycle management. Also, using AI-based anomaly detection improves security while maintaining scalability across global use.
9. Regular Audits and Testing of Your Security Framework
By conducting thorough vulnerability tests often, you can identify potential risks before they even become issues. With this, It’s important to incorporate automated testing tools that simulate various attack vectors. This includes aspects like brute-force and credential stuffing, to check your system’s resilience against them.
Regularly looking over your login protocols, like OAuth 2.0 or OpenID Connect, can help make sure they stay up-to-date and compliant with evolving standards.
Aside from this, your security infrastructure should also be tested for resilience with multi-factor authentication (MFA) and identity governance tools. This can help make sure that sensitive data access is consistently monitored and controlled, with minimal friction for the user.
10. Secure API Management and Access Limiting
To secure your CIAM framework and maintain data integrity, API management practices are essential. When configuring your CIAM system, make sure it aligns with regulatory standards like GDPR or PCI-DSS to safeguard customer data across all access points.
One key aspect is setting up access controls that limit API usage based on criteria such as IP address, device type, or user role, enforcing least-privilege access principles. Additionally, you can strengthen security by implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sensitive API endpoints.
Modern CIAM platforms provide advanced tools for monitoring API activity, detecting anomalies, automating responses to unauthorized access attempts, resilient API security posture.
11. Closely Look at User and Performance Analytics
Effectively using CIAM for user and performance analytics is vital to enhancing both security and user experience.
CIAM platforms provide granular insights into user behavior, login patterns, and access frequency, allowing you to detect unusual activities that could indicate security threats. By analyzing performance metrics, you can also identify bottlenecks in authentication processes, improving speed and user satisfaction.
In addition, integrating machine learning models with CIAM helps predict potential fraud, adapt authentication measures in real time, and optimize user engagement strategies. Through advanced reporting tools, you can continuously refine policies and workflows to improve both security posture and user experience.
12. Have an Incident Response Plan in Place
A complete incident response plan within your CIAM framework is essential to protect customer identity data and keep in line with compliance. Start by aligning your CIAM system with key standards like GDPR or PCI-DSS, then establish protocols for detecting, assessing, and addressing breaches swiftly.
Integrate real-time threat alerts and automated workflows to contain and mitigate incidents quickly. Use conditional access policies that restrict access based on geolocation, device, or behavioral patterns to limit potential breaches.
Additionally, configure automated account recovery processes for post-incident scenarios, while ongoing monitoring tools help detect anomalies and simplify compliance reporting.
Why Use Infisign CIAM For Your Platform?
User experience is everything, and regardless of what your platform offers, you main goal should be improving usability and how easy this can be even with complex security in place.
The fact is that the CIAM market is saturated - the reality however is that most of the CIAM platforms overcharge for features that essential for a good user experience.
At Infisign, we offer companies features like passkeys authentication and directory-sycn without additional charges.Sound fair? Why not book a call to see how else Infisign can help you.
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