Imagine this, your company of 10 grows to more than 100 employees, or even 1000 employees - could you say that your financial or customer information won’t be leaked?
Even if you feel like that’s not an immediate problem, it can get really hard to prove for data regulation. Luckily - automated provisioning and deprovisioning remove this issue altogether - and here’s how!
What is User Provisioning and Deprovisioning?
User Provisioning is the process of adding or removing user access to your database or tech stack when on-boarded, undertaking new roles, shifting teams or locations, or being off-boarded.
With manual provisioning and deprovisoning - it can cost you up to $60 per user in administrative costs to just create an account.
By using a Workforce Identity Management software or IAM tool like Infisign, you can automate provisioning and deprovisoning access based on the user's roles, tasks, and time-based requirements (not only saving time but also cash).
In terms of customers or clients that use your platform you can automate this based on signing up to your platform and subscribing to a specific plan. When paired with a CIAM you can put conditions in place to make sure that only the specific authorized user can use your platform. Moreover, you can also beef up security making sure that there are multiple user-friendly layers of authentication in place.
10 Reasons Why Provisioning and Deprovisioning is Important
Creates a Scalable Security Framework
Provisioning and deprovisioning create a scalable security framework by managing user access based on their role and status within a company. The reality it as your company grows, you need to make sure that changes can be implemented across the board and all at once.
Unlike traditional access control systems, with tools like Infiisgn you do not have to update this one by one. In situations where you have hundreds or thousands of employees you can make changes across the board just based on their role.
For example, your development teams have access to specific tools and data, while your finance team has acces to different tools and data - the degree of which can change based on position or seniority.
This drastically reduces the risk of unauthorized access. What this does is also support compliance by maintaining accurate, up-to-date access records and lowering exposure to sensitive data.
Legal and Regulatory Costs and Liability
A lot of the time, provisioning and deprovisioning processes are central to managing user access and making sure there is compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
This means permissions are assigned or revoked dynamically, following specific policies that prevent unauthorized access. With Infisign, you can but RBAC frameworks alongside automated logs - making compliance with regulations like HIPAA, GDPR and CCPA a whole lot easier
These automated logs track all access changes, creating transparent records that help reduce liability during audits or legal disputes.
Increased Productivity and Removal of Access Roadblocks
Better provisioning and deprovisioning practices can improve workflow efficiency and reduce disruptions caused by outdated access permissions. IAM and CIAM software like infisign allow you to this with tools like directory-sync that make access updates across multiple tools once implemented. It also helps with:
- Faster User Onboarding: Automating access provisioning speeds up the onboarding process, reducing delays in getting new users up to speed and productivity.
- Quick Access Revocation: When users no longer require access, their permissions are promptly revoked, which makes sure that the right people have access to the right resources without unnecessary bottlenecks.
- Centralized Access Control: Monitoring and managing user access from one platform eliminates confusion and allows for faster, more accurate decisions when changes are needed.
Helps in Building Reputation and Trust
Based on user roles and access requirements, provisioning and deprovisioning can help build trust and reputation by managing who has access to sensitive information.
Unlike traditional access control methods or manual processes, provisioning and deprovisioning allow for automated changes or adjustments immediately. Tools like Infisign allow you to do this with transparent data consent forms and the use of social logins creating an overall sense of trustworthiness.
This means users can be granted or revoked access quickly, making sure that there is security without exposing personal data, which is beneficial for maintaining legal compliance and protecting your company’s integrity.
It Reduces Financial Costs in the Administration
Automatic provisioning and deprovisioning workflows help lower administrative costs and hours that go into granting access for IT teams. Infisign helps you update access for hundreds of users all at once with use of role-based access control and directory-sync.
- Automated Processes: By automating access assignments and revocations, manual interventions are reduced, leading to fewer errors and lower administrative overhead.
- Audit Trails: These workflows generate detailed access records automatically, eliminating the need for manual documentation while simplifying compliance and reporting processes.
- Centralized Oversight: Consolidates management of user accounts, making it easier to address access changes across systems and preventing redundant resources from being allocated unnecessarily.
Removes Human Error From the Equation
Based on user access requirements and status changes, provisioning and deprovisioning help eliminate human error by automating the process of granting or revoking access. With Infisign you get tools like AI Access assist that automate the provisioning and deprovisioning processes.
For exceptional cases AI access assist on slack or similar tools can raise a request with the concerned team or manager for quick and easy access.
Unlike manual systems, this automated approach reduces the likelihood of accidental or unauthorized access. It also maintains consistent, live updates across systems, enhancing security while making sure there is compliance without exposing personal data.
Better Policy Enforcement
Managing user access through proper provisioning and deprovisioning enhances the enforcement of security policies and helps compliance with internal standards. Infisign allows you to implement multiple policies, conditional access framworks and ABAC for better adaptive authentication.
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): By assigning access rights based on user roles, access to sensitive data and systems is restricted according to predefined policies, preventing unauthorized use.
- Automated Access Adjustments: When a user's role changes, their access can be adjusted automatically, allowing compliance with your company’s security policies without delays.
- Real-Time Access Audits: Access logs provide valuable insights into who accessed what, when, and why. This data helps maintain accountability and supports policy enforcement during audits.
Better Documentation
While there are several methods for managing user access, one factor that always adds value is proper documentation during provisioning and deprovisioning. This helps make sure that user roles and permissions are clearly defined, making it easier to track who has access to what.
In addition to this, maintaining detailed records when deactivating accounts can help prevent unauthorized access after a user leaves or changes roles.
Tools like audit trails and activity logs are designed to help document these actions for better compliance across the board.
Removes the Threat of Malicious Insiders
Managing user access through timely provisioning and deprovisioning plays a significant role in controlling the potential risks from internal threats.
- Instant Access Revocation: When an employee or contractor no longer requires access, permissions can be immediately revoked to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive systems or data.
- Granular Access Control: By defining access at the user level, you can limit the risk of malicious insiders by restricting access to only the necessary resources for each individual role.
- Audit Logs and Monitoring: Tracking user activity and access patterns makes it easier to detect any unusual or suspicious behavior as and when it happens, helping to act swiftly in case of a threat.
Reduces the Likelihood of Excessive Privileges or Access
Based on user roles and access levels, provisioning and deprovisioning help reduce the risk of excessive privileges by automatically adjusting user permissions.
Unlike someone doing this through an admin or outdated access controls, this route makes sure that users only retain the exact access they require. This process lowers the chances of unauthorized access to sensitive data, while also supporting compliance with privacy and security standards.
Best Practices When Provisioning and Deprovisioning
Review User Permissions Regularly or at Fixed Time Frames
Quite often, provisioning and deprovisioning workflows depend on accurate permission management—this means regularly reviewing user access to match their current roles or responsibilities. This is where scheduled audits become invaluable—they help identify outdated or unnecessary permissions, preventing potential misuse.
Aside from this, periodic reviews allow systems to adjust access dynamically, maintaining better control over sensitive resources and improving overall security protocols.
Automate Your Provisioning and Deprovisiong Based on Your Own Internal Policy
Based on internal policies and predefined rules, automating provisioning and deprovisioning makes sure that user access aligns with your company’s requirements.
Unlike manual workflows or static permissions, automation allows access to adjust dynamically as roles or responsibilities change. This means you can standardize access control without exposing sensitive data, which improves compliance and enhances system efficiency.
Make Use of ABAC or RBAC Frameworks
A lot of the time, provisioning and deprovisioning systems rely on structured frameworks to manage user access—this means while assigning permissions, policies need to reflect specific roles or attributes.
This is where ABAC and RBAC frameworks become invaluable—they allow access to be granted dynamically based on user roles or contextual attributes like location or device.
Aside from this, they also allow businesses to maintain fine-grained control over permissions, reducing unnecessary access and improving overall security management.
Use the Principle of Least Privilege
Depending on user roles and specific job functions, the principle of least privilege allows you to restrict access to only what is necessary for each individual. Unlike broad access permissions, this approach limits exposure to sensitive systems and data.
What this means is you can maintain tighter control over access without impacting workflow, which improves security and supports regulatory compliance.
Why Use Infisign for Automated Provisioning and Deprovisioning?
Infisign comes with directory sync without any hidden costs - this makes implementing universal SSO so much easier. Whether it’s your employees or customers - they don’t have to feed in the same information again and again.What’s more - you can automate provisioning and deprovisioning based on roles and conditional policies you put in place. Only want people from a specific location or IP address to be able to access your platform? Well, you can do just that.It’s not just about ease - it’s about creating an accessibility framework that is both scalable and a lot more affordable in terms of administrative costs. Want to know more? Try out Infisign for free to get a better idea.
