Debunking some Longstanding Myths about Identity and Data management

There are many aspects to consider while thinking of identity and data management (IDM) programs, and there are also many misconceptions around it. Overall, this may not be the same as you hear about it but may further lead you to the wrong track on considering IDM. 

This blog will try to dig deeper into the common myths about IDM and try to debunk these. You will get an idea about what is what and decide for yourself. 

Myth #1: IDM programs need a high level of customization

The truth about this myth is that if you adopt IDM, about 80 % of its functionality during deployment may come ready out-of-the-box. However, it is a fact that sometimes IDM can be a complex affair for beginners when it comes to the security structure of an organization. The access requirements may change from business to business based on identity credential mapping and business decision-making approaches. So even when IDM is essential, it may be challenging to implement sometimes. Role mapping policy design, data and identity controls, operations and planning needs, etc., should be well thought out before deploying IDM.

Adding more customization to the complex nature of IDM may not always be the best way to take it up. While there is an obvious place for it, more customization may not ideally do any better to the basic IDM program. You need to investigate out-of-the-box solutions to save your budget and time. If someone has already answered that it is proved, then you can take advantage of that data. You may also try to define your program’s areas that needed to customize and why this needs to be done so.Every organization may have a custom set of goals and objectives. However, when it comes to identity and data management, the concerns may be more or less be the same for all. Relying on the out-of-the-box functionality of IDM may help reduce the complexity, spent, and time.

Myth #2: Enterprise IT teams may not be able to support the IDM evolution

This is not true. IDM can play a crucial role in the digital transformation strategy of any organization. With its business-first approach, IDM has a representative presence across all organizations and all parts of it.It will help reduce the risk and also protect sensitive data. It also involves every department in the program planning, seeking ongoing inputs, keeping the stakeholders informed about the strategies, and implementing changes. This will help ensure a better corporation and buy-in of all involved. You need to listen and obtain inputs from the business owners in an organization. However, you need not have to be in a hurry to implement IDM and remember that you cannot solve every problem simultaneously.

The ideal approach is to start with an assessment, build a roadmap strategy, and prioritize short and long-term milestones accordingly. A well-thought-out plan and implementation will help you identify the gaps in between and support the evolution of IDM Strategies. Executing the incremental business outcomes, the stakeholders will also understand the value of IDM quickly. Data administration and security teams will also get enough time to gain proficiency and knowledge about building a sustainable IDM program. Also, remember that the IDM deployments are never finished. The transformation initiatives are constantly evolving by creating ever-changing identity needs for IDM. For implanting the IDM program, you can avail consulting services of providers like RemoteDBA.com.

Myth #3: When company data is on-premises, it is sufficient to have a project-basedIDM

In reality, project-based IDM may equate to getting manual access for the projects. Successful IDM deployments are not a standalone project but an ongoing affair. As we know,data is exploding exponentially, especially the volume of unstructured data. It is now created faster and more dynamically than ever before. It is also a fact that data resides in various places and is accessible by more and more people at more and more places. Along with this, the users and the current network states may also change faster than we have already seen.

Once any new cloud-based or on-premises system is introduced, human errors may occur, and individuals may inevitably try to gain unauthorized access to the same. The more unauthorized users access your database, the greater the risks will be. It can ultimately be catastrophic, especially for regulated organizations like financial institutions, banking, healthcare, etc. Project-based provisioning may contribute to more potential users and greater risks to data.

To mitigate these types of risks, organizations may try to implement auto-provisioning strategies with limited enterprise data access. It would help if you struck a fine balance between allowing bare minimum access to employees to do their tasks and staying within the confines of the regulatory and compliance needs. From this point of view, you should try to tackle more controls and advanced strategies.

Myth #4: Identity management is an IT function

In reality, identity can have an impact on the entire enterprise. So, the responsibility for safeguarding it is not just an IT function but is cross-departmental. It is usually involved in managing the access to data, so organizations should recognize that people are data custodians and should understand the purpose of data and use it in a secured manner. More often, personal data may fall under the human resource umbrella.

When IDM program management for protecting data integrity is its basic function, ensuring proper access and accurate data is everyone’s responsibility.Those who gain access to the information management systems and controls should take this responsibility as well. For the IDM system to have a single view of allocated access, business alignment of data and regular sharing of the most accurate and up-to-date consumable data is essential.Proper alignment will allow the business owners to regularly rectify the access and ensure that all data levels are well protected.

IDM can surely be challenging, but if you try to debunk some common misconceptions and take the right route for its implementation, one can save a lot of time and money on the IDM program.