Identity lifecycle management involves the continuous management of users and their access to resources throughout their tenure in an organization. The process begins when a new user joins the organization and ends when the user leaves the organization or their access rights are modified due to job changes or other factors.
- Provisioning: The first stage of the identity lifecycle management process is provisioning. During this stage, a user account is created and access rights are granted based on the user’s job requirements and organizational policies. Provisioning can be done manually or automatically through an identity management system.
In manual provisioning, an administrator creates a new user account and assigns access rights based on the user’s job requirements. In contrast, automated provisioning involves the use of an identity management system that automatically creates user accounts and assigns access rights based on predefined rules.
- Maintenance: Once a user account is provisioned, the next stage in the identity lifecycle management process is maintenance. This stage involves the continuous management of user accounts and access rights. During this stage, access rights are modified based on changes in job roles, transfers, or other factors.
For example, if an employee is promoted to a new position, their access rights may need to be modified to reflect their new responsibilities. Alternatively, if an employee is transferred to a different department, their access rights may need to be updated to reflect the resources they require in their new role.
- De-provisioning: The third stage in the identity lifecycle management process is de-provisioning. This stage involves the removal of access rights and disabling of user accounts for terminated or transferred employees to prevent unauthorized access to resources.
When an employee leaves the organization or is transferred, their user account should be deactivated or deleted to prevent unauthorized access to resources. De-provisioning can also be automated through an identity management system, ensuring that the process is consistent and efficient.
- Re-certification: The final stage of the identity lifecycle management process is re-certification. This stage involves reviewing and verifying the access rights of users periodically to ensure that they have access only to the resources necessary to perform their job functions and to comply with regulatory requirements.
Re-certification involves checking if the access rights assigned to users are still valid and up to date. This process helps ensure that users have access only to the resources they require, reducing the risk of data breaches due to unauthorized access
In addition to these four stages, there are two other important components of identity lifecycle management: Identity Governance and Privileged Access Management (PAM).
Identity Governance involves the process of defining, managing, and enforcing policies related to user access and usage of resources. Identity Governance ensures that users have the right access to resources, and that access is compliant with regulatory requirements.
PAM, on the other hand, focuses on managing and securing access to privileged accounts and systems, such as administrator accounts, network devices, and critical applications. PAM ensures that privileged access is limited to authorized users, and that access is logged and audited for compliance purposes.
In conclusion, identity lifecycle management is a critical process that ensures users have the right access to resources throughout their tenure in an organization. By following a consistent and efficient identity lifecycle management process, organizations can reduce the risk of data breaches, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and improve operational efficiency.
