Well, firstly Cloud environments have gotten increasingly more popular in terms of affordability and for creating decentralized workplaces. However, just like anything in the digital age - making sure your work doesn’t get stolen or leaked means you need reliable security.
So to guide you through the basics - here’s how you can use Cloud IAM. if your company works in a cloud ecosystem or is even considering it - this can save you a lot of trouble and time later on.
What is Cloud IAM?
Cloud IAM refers to an Identity and Access Management Software that can be enabled on cloud platforms for companies or teams working in cloud environments. This framework allows you to assign access based on roles, and have single-sign-on (SSO) and even multi-factor authentication (MFA) to improve security.
The reality is that IAM is a part of most applications these days. However, the level of control you have over specific aspects of this is dramatically influenced by the IAM software you use.
Aside from this, you can also manage customer data and analytics while controlling your employee and internal data using a CIAM and IAM unified platform. While typically most IAM and CIAM software allows you to integrate them with a few additional steps, Infisign has both on one platform.
How Do You Use Cloud Identity and Access Management in Your Company? (8 Steps)
1. Pick the Most Suitable Cloud IAM Software for Your Business
Choosing your IAM is definitely an investment. This goes in terms of effort, time, and especially cash - however, in the long run, it becomes more a question of industry compliance and safety from hackers or ransomware.
There are various aspects worth considering when picking your cloud IAM software - the functionality of your team and whether this can be used for clients and contractors being two of them! But here are some of the major features a reliable IAM should have without fail:
- Single Sign On
A reliable cloud IAM solution must have Single Sign-On (SSO) as a core feature. SSO allows users to access multiple applications with one login, simplifying user management and reducing password fatigue.
- Multifactor Authentication
Multifactor Authentication (MFA) is another essential feature that strengthens identity verification by requiring additional authentication factors. This can include biometrics, security keys, or device-based verification, which minimizes unauthorized access.
- Role-Based Access Control and Attribute Based Access Control
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) are essential for managing permissions precisely. While RBAC assigns access based on roles, ABAC adds flexibility by evaluating attributes like department, project, or location, ensuring granular control over resource access.
- Conditional Access Management
Conditional access management is essential in a reliable IAM system. This feature restricts access based on factors like IP address, device type, and location, providing dynamic control to address high-risk situations.
- Temporary Role Delegation
Temporary role delegation is another major feature, allowing users to access elevated permissions only for a limited time. This lowers risk by avoiding permanent access to sensitive resources while maintaining workflow efficiency.
- Protection Against Brute Force Attacks
Protection against brute force attacks can also help immensely, as it prevents repeated unauthorized login attempts. This often includes features like rate limiting, CAPTCHA challenges, or account lockout mechanisms to safeguard against intrusion.
- Audit Logging
Audit logging is indispensable for tracking all IAM-related events and changes within the environment. Detailed logs are essential for compliance and forensic analysis, offering visibility into user actions, role changes, and access requests.
2. Integrate Your IAM Software Policies With Your Tech Stack
To do this you’ll first need to create IAM policies based on different roles and user groups. Although this can vary and have some exceptions, the idea is to have a rough layout in which groups will require edit or read-only access to files.
In cases where they would require access rarely, you can eliminate access and only grant it on a conditional basis whenever required.
How Do you Enable Cloud IAM on Your Tech Stack?
To enable IAM across your tech stack, you’ll first need to enable single sign-on on these applications. A good idea to help get this set up would be to create a list of the different tools and software your team uses.
Once you do so you can set a directory sync as well as integrate it with different APIs and plugins to enable this easily. Most IAM platforms have documentation and a support team to help with this.
3. Assign Roles Based on Task Requirements
Assigning roles based on task requirements demands that you use the concept of least privilege to make sure that access is granted when absolutely necessary. The huge difference here is made with sub-roles, for instance you can assign specific tasks to senior developers versus the associate developers.
Alternatively, this can be based on the types of ecosystems of criteria these employees will need access to. This way you maintain granular control and prevent blanket policies in your cloud IAM which can be very limiting.
In doing so, you can split these up into groups based on department and also look into attribute-based access control which adds a little more flexibility although it can seem slightly complex initially.
4. Enable and Make Sure There is an Audit Trail to Track Changes
- Regardless of the software you use, your first step is to make sure that logging is enabled on your cloud IAM software in settings.
- After doing this, you can configure which events need to be logged in detail this can be login attempts, user policy modifications, changes made to the IAM system, or even password resets and MFA changes.
- Then, you need to set up a log retention policy only for a specific number of days - your IAM software typically offers different options for this.
- Aside from this, you need to enable alerts for suspicious activity and allow immutable logs to prevent any user from changing the record.
- To comply with legal requirements, you can also automate reports and compliance checks using your cloud IAM (this is usually a standard feature).
5. Control Access and Use Roles Granularly Based on Context
- To begin, configure role-based access control (RBAC) in your cloud IAM by defining specific roles for each department or team according to their operational needs. This is foundational to restricting permissions and managing user access effectively.
- After setting up the roles, apply contextual access policies within IAM. Contextual policies allow for granular control by restricting access based on factors such as time of access, IP address, or the security status of the device. This can be a definite requirement for environments with sensitive data.
- Next, you need to set up just-in-time (JIT) access for high-level permissions. This means certain permissions are only granted temporarily when a user needs them, reducing the window of risk for privileged accounts.
- Additionally, configure multi-factor authentication (MFA) policies that vary depending on role sensitivity. For instance, administrators can be required to use MFA with stricter protocols to improve security in high-access roles.
- To maintain compliance and visibility, schedule automated reports on role usage and access patterns. This feature is typically available in most cloud IAM solutions and helps in making sure your access policies are consistently followed.
6. Enable AI Access Assist or Smart Access Control
Enabling AI Access Assist or Smart Access Control in your cloud IAM setup allows for adaptive access management based on real-time user context and behavior.
With AI-driven access control, permissions are adjusted dynamically according to variables such as user location, role-specific needs, and recent activity patterns. This enhances security by reducing static permissions and instead, creates a model where access is tailored on a per-request basis.
For instance, access privileges for critical systems may be modified based on situational awareness, such as verifying an unusual login location. This avoids rigid policies, favoring a more flexible, intelligent model that ensures minimum necessary access without compromising security.
Integrating attribute-based access control (ABAC) with AI further refines permissions by evaluating attributes like project involvement, ensuring precision but requiring careful configuration to align with organizational policies and security protocols.
7. Make Sure to Have Clear Organisation Policies for Industry Compliance
To safeguard your IAM framework and meet compliance standards, having clear organisational policies in place can make all the difference. The first step with this happens when you set your IAM software, you look into aspects like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2 standards that may be specific to your industry.
Aside from this, you make sure that you have conditional access policies for specific types of data and roles - this can be based on aspects like IP address, geolocation, or device used to log in. Based on this you can include different requirements in terms of MFA.
A lot of IAM software these days allows the use of biometrics or passkeys that make this login process easier for some users. You can make your process a lot easier with automated provisioning and de-provisioning. With solid policies in place, being alerted for any compliance violations through your IAM software is straightforward.
8. Review and Update IAM Policies Regularly and Whenever Required
This process begins by auditing your IAM configuration, verifying that all roles, permissions, and access controls meet industry regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2, depending on your field.
Additionally, policies should be evaluated for conditional access controls to address factors like IP address, location, and device type. Adjustments based on these aspects help enforce appropriate authentication, often incorporating MFA requirements tailored to the risk level of each access attempt.
Consistent monitoring of compliance alerts within your IAM setup makes sure there are timely policy updates, keeping your company’s access management secure and regulatory-ready.
Why Use Infisign as Your Cloud IAM Solution?
Infisign is a unified approach to IAM - this means you can have both IAM and CIAM on the same platform. Aside from this it is built on a zero trust framework which makes brute force attacks and unauthorized access almost impossible when paired with MFA. Sounds interesting? Why not book a free trial to see how Infisign can save you both time and money in the long run?
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