What is Extended Access Management?

What is Extended Access Management?

Extended Access Management is an advanced approach organizations can use to manage and secure access to systems, applications, data, and infrastructure, especially in complex and hybrid IT environments that include on-premises, cloud, and edge resources. Traditional Identity and Access Management (IAM) provides static access control primarily over on-premises human identities. It offers basic access management in cloud environments but provides limited visibility. Extended Access Management builds on the principles of IAM by incorporating fine-grained access controls, dynamic entitlement management, and governance across a broader set of identities, devices, and environments.

The Extended Access Management approach is particularly applicable to modern, dynamic IT architectures where organizations must manage diverse access needs; involving not only human users but also non-human identities, such as applications, service accounts, APIs, and IoT devices.

Key Features of Extended Access Management

Unified Access Control

Extended Access Management controls access to on-premises systems, cloud platforms (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), APIs, and edge environments using a single framework.

Support for Human and Non-Human Identities

Extended Access Management ensures governance over service accounts, machine identities, IoT devices, and other non-human entities alongside employees, contractors, partners, and vendors.

Dynamic and Context-Aware Access

Extended Access Management enables organizations to make access decisions based on context such as user location, device security posture, and time of access; and dynamically adjust access control to reduce risks.

Fine-Grained Permissions

Implements granular access controls that specify not just who can access resources but also what actions they can take within an environment.

Entitlement Management

Governs permissions and entitlements to ensure the Principle of Least Privilege, reducing the number of over-permissioned accounts, and managing the challenge of access sprawl.

Visibility and Auditing

Provides centralized visibility into access permissions, entitlements, and usage to support monitoring, compliance, and auditing.

Automated Provisioning, De-provisioning and Denial of Access

Streamlines the access rights lifecycle, including the granting, updating, and revoking of access as roles change or systems are decommissioned.

Integration with a Zero Trust Security Model

Extended Access Management helps organizations implement Zero Trust principles, where access is continuously verified and granted on a “never trust, always verify” basis.

Challenges that Extended Access Management Addresses

As organizations migrate more systems, applications, data, and infrastructure to cloud-based platforms, their legacy and in-house developed access management tools cannot easily provide the functionality required to manage them. Here are some of the challenges that an Extended Access Management approach can address:

• Complex Access Needs: Organizations that operate in hybrid and multi-cloud environments must have sufficient tools to manage access across these platforms.
• Identity Sprawl: Non-human identities such as SaaS applications, APIs, and services makes identity governance using traditional methods more challenging.
• Dynamic Environments: Access requirements change dynamically as organizations add new workflows to business processes.
• Security Risks: Over-provisioned accounts, unused entitlements, and misconfigurations create vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit.
• Compliance Demands: More stringent regulatory standards require enhanced visibility and control over access to sensitive data and systems.

Extended Access Management addresses these challenges by extending IAM capabilities to govern access across all types of identities, resources, and environments.

Core Components of Extended Access Management

Identity Governance

Ensures all access rights are reviewed, monitored, and compliant with policies.

Privileged Access Management (PAM)

Manages elevated permissions and access to critical systems to prevent abuse of privileged accounts.

Entitlement Management

Identifies and eliminates excess permissions or unused entitlements to enforce the principle of least privilege.

Dynamic Access Controls

Uses real-time context, such as user behavior, device health, or threat intelligence, to adapt access permissions dynamically.

Automation and AI

Incorporates automation and AI-driven insights to provision, monitor, and remediate access across hybrid environments.

Centralized Visibility and Reporting

Provides unified dashboards showing access activity, entitlements, and compliance adherence.

Benefits of Extended Access Management

• Enhanced Security: Reduces the risk of unauthorized access and privilege abuse by enforcing strict, least-privilege access policies.
• Improved Compliance: Provides visibility and auditing capabilities to meet regulatory requirements.
• Simplified Management: Consolidates access governance across hybrid, multi-cloud, and edge environments.
• Dynamic Risk Mitigation: Adjusts access permissions in real time based on contextual and behavioral factors.
• Reduced Identity Sprawl: Controls human and non-human identities, preventing access sprawl and privilege escalation.

Use Cases for Extended Access Management

• Governing access across multi-cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Identifying and managing machine and API accounts to prevent excessive permissioning in service accounts.
• Dynamically adjusting access control for remote and hybrid workforce environments.
• Controlling access to devices and systems operating at the network edge.
• Providing granular reports and visibility for regulatory audits to show compliance in complex and hybrid IT environments.

How Governance for Identity Fabric Led by a SaaS-based IGA Solution Helps

Omada Identity Cloud offers the adaptability, automation, and connectivity framework to bring Extended Access Management to any organization. Omada Identity Cloud works with Extended Access Management to unify and extend access control to both human and non-human identities. Learn more.