Identity Governance and Administration Enhances Security and Compliance

Identity Governance and Administration (IGA)  safeguards sensitive data by granting only authorized individuals the necessary access privileges to do their job. IGA provides organizations with granular visibility into user access, including who accesses what, why, and when. This visibility into user access patterns enables organizations to effectively mitigate risks, prevent unauthorized access, and ensure compliance with industry regulations.

Legacy IGA systems, often rigid and inflexible, struggle to keep pace with the rapid evolution of modern IT environments. These systems are frequently limited in scalability, making it difficult to accommodate growth and change. Legacy IGA also often requires significant IT resources for maintenance and updates, hindering operational efficiency.

With legacy systems becoming obsolete, organizations are turning to modern, cloud-based solutions to address evolving security needs and operational efficiency. These solutions offer a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective approach to identity governance. Modern IGA can adapt to dynamic IT environments, automating many manual processes and reducing the burden on IT teams.

Before embarking on an IGA implementation journey, it’s essential to understand the fundamental components of an IGA framework and how they work together to manage, secure, and enable user identities.

What is Identity Governance and Administration?

IGA comprises two key components: Identity Governance and Identity Administration. Together, these components work to ensure that the right individuals have the right access to the right resources at the right time.

• Identity Governance focuses on establishing and enforcing access policies. It involves defining roles, assigning permissions, and regularly reviewing and updating access rights.
• Identity Administration automates user lifecycle management tasks, such as provisioning, de-provisioning, and role-based access control.

By implementing a robust IGA solution, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of security breaches, protect sensitive data, and maintain compliance with industry regulations.

What is Identity Governance?

Traditionally, identity governance was often viewed as a compliance exercise, used primarily to meet regulatory requirements. However, in today’s complex IT landscape, it has emerged as a strategic imperative.

By providing a comprehensive view of user entitlements and access rights across all applications and systems, identity governance empowers organizations to:

• Enhance Security: Identify and mitigate security risks by monitoring user behavior and detecting anomalies.
• Improve Compliance: Ensure adherence to regulatory standards by controlling and auditing user access.
• Streamline Operations: Automate user provisioning, de-provisioning, and access management processes, reducing administrative overhead.

Organizations that rely on outdated or incomplete identity governance systems face significant challenges, including:

• Limited Visibility: Lack of visibility into user access and entitlements.
• Increased Risk: Difficulty in identifying and mitigating security threats.
• Compliance Challenges: Inability to meet regulatory requirements.

By adopting a modern identity governance solution, organizations can achieve a higher level of security, compliance, and operational efficiency.

What is Identity Administration?

Identity Administration manages user identities and their associated access rights within an organization, ensuring that people continuously have the permissions they need, when they need it, for the right reasons, and only for the time they need it.

Identity Administration is a critical component of a robust security strategy. It focuses on the lifecycle of user identities, ensuring that individuals have the appropriate access privileges at all times.

Key components of Identity Administration include:

• User Provisioning and Deprovisioning: Automating the creation and removal of user accounts to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.
• Access Request and Approval Workflows: Streamlining the process of requesting and granting access privileges to ensure timely and secure access.
• Password Management: Enforcing strong password policies, managing password resets, and enabling multi-factor authentication.
• Directory Management: Maintaining accurate and up-to-date user information in organizational directories.
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Assigning permissions based on roles and responsibilities to limit access to sensitive data and systems.

Reap the Benefits of IGA

IGA solutions significantly reduce the burden on IT, Identity and Access Management (IAM), and security teams by automating manual tasks. This automation not only minimizes the risk of human error but also streamlines processes across the organization, from HR to finance to third-party contractors.

Without IGA, managing access rights can be a complex and error-prone process. This can lead to security risks, such as granting excessive access to unauthorized individuals, or operational inefficiencies, such as restricting access to legitimate users.

Omada Identity Cloud is a comprehensive, cloud-native IGA solution that is easily configurable to meet your unique business needs. Omada Identity Cloud provides the following benefits:

Increased Security

• Least Privilege Access and Zero Trust: By implementing these principles, Omada ensures that users are granted only the minimum necessary access, reducing the potential impact of a security breach.
• Automated Deprovisioning: Omada automatically revokes access for users who change roles or leave the organization, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access.
• Risk-Based Access Control: Omada enables organizations to classify systems and assets based on their sensitivity, ensuring that access is granted only to authorized individuals.
• Account Reconciliation: Omada regularly compares identity and access data to identify discrepancies and potential security risks.
• Segregation of Duties (SoD): Omada helps prevent conflicts of interest by enforcing SoD policies and alerting administrators to potential violations.
• Access Certification: Omada automates the process of reviewing and certifying user access rights, ensuring that privileges remain appropriate and up-to-date.
• Ransomware Mitigation: By eliminating orphaned accounts, Omada reduces the attack surface and makes it harder for ransomware actors to gain a foothold.

Seamless Compliance

• Comprehensive Auditing and Reporting: Gain full visibility into identity-related activities, compliance violations, and access rights through detailed reports and dashboards.
• Regulatory Compliance: Demonstrate compliance with industry standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
• Access Rights Management: Maintain accurate records of user access rights and justifications for granted access.
• Separation of Duties (SoD): Prevent conflicts of interest and security risks by enforcing SoD policies.
• Data Classification: Classify data and systems based on sensitivity levels to ensure appropriate access controls.
• Access Certification: Regularly review and certify user access rights to maintain security and compliance.

Enhanced Efficiency

• Code-Free Configuration: Easily create workflows, automate routine tasks, and seamlessly connect Omada to your business applications without requiring complex coding or custom development.
• Intelligent Role Mining: Leverage ML (Machine Learning) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) to optimize roles and ensure that users have the right permissions.
• Automated Processes: Automate routine tasks such as access certification, risk assessment, and user provisioning and de-provisioning, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors.
• Seamless Integration and Customization: Integrate Omada with existing access request and ITSM tools while customizing its data model to align with your organization’s unique business processes and terminology, creating a unified and efficient user experience.
• Reduced Help Desk Burden: Streamline common requests like password resets and access requests through a self-service portal, freeing up IT support staff to focus on strategic initiatives.

Avoid Identity Governance & Administration Pitfalls

IGA is a strategic component of any comprehensive IAM program. Partnering with a trusted IGA provider can mitigate significant risks, including:

• Security: Inadequate security controls can expose organizations to cyber threats, such as data breaches and unauthorized access.
• Compliance: Non-compliance with industry regulations and internal policies can result in hefty fines and reputational damage.
• Efficiency: Manual processes and outdated systems can hinder business agility and slow down time-to-market for new initiatives.

By implementing a robust IGA solution, organizations can strengthen their security posture, improve compliance, and streamline operations.

Challenges in Identity Governance & Administration

Organizations often face several challenges when implementing modern IGA solutions:

• Complex IT Environments: Legacy systems and data silos can hinder the integration of a unified identity management framework.
• Organizational Resistance: Change management can be challenging, especially when new IGA solutions disrupt existing workflows or require additional training.
• Resource Constraints: Implementing and maintaining an IGA solution can require significant upfront investment in terms of time, budget, and skilled personnel.

By carefully planning and executing the implementation process, organizations can overcome these challenges and realize the benefits of a robust IGA solution.

Addressing Modern Challenges

The rapid adoption of cloud-based applications and the increasing complexity of IT environments have made identity governance more challenging than ever. To address these challenges, organizations should consider the following strategies:

• Leverage Automation: Utilize a modern IGA solution to automate routine tasks, such as user provisioning, de-provisioning, and access certification. This can significantly reduce administrative overhead and human error.
• Integrate with Existing Systems: Choose an IGA solution that can seamlessly integrate with your existing technology stack, minimizing disruptions and maximizing efficiency.
• Ensure Scalability: Select an IGA solution that can scale to accommodate your organization’s growth and evolving needs.
• Engage Stakeholders: Involve key stakeholders early in the implementation process to ensure buy-in and support.
• Provide Training and Support: Offer comprehensive training and ongoing support to employees to facilitate a smooth transition to the new IGA solution.
• Continuous Monitoring and Review: Regularly monitor and review your IGA processes to identify and address potential security risks and compliance gaps.

By following these strategies, organizations can effectively manage identity and access, reduce risk, and improve operational efficiency.

What Functionalities do Identity Governance and Administration Solutions Provide?

While Identity Governance and Identity Administration both work together, each serves distinct yet complementary functions.  

Identity Governance Functionalities

Identity Lifecycle Management

Manage the provisioning and de-provisioning of user access throughout their lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding. 

Access Requests and Reviews

Enable seamless workflows for users to request access to applications and data and facilitate efficient review processes. Real-time access request management ensures timely approvals, maintains user identity security, and guarantees compliance with organizational policies. 

Role, Policy, and Entitlements Management

Implement role-based and policy-based access control  to streamline access provisioning and ensure that users have the appropriate permissions to perform their job functions. 

Identity Security Breach Prevention

Deploy robust security policies and procedures to continuously monitor for anomalies and respond swiftly to security threats, minimizing the impact on business operations. 

Access Governance

Verify who has access to what information, remove access that is no longer needed through continuous certification campaigns, and ensure that Separation of Duty (SoD) policies are properly enforced

Connectivity

Enable fast and reliable connectivity for provisioning and de-provisioning user access across various systems and applications. 

Audit, Compliance, and Reporting

Support the development and enforcement of business policies, rules, and governance controls, providing assurance to auditors and executives that security measures are in place and effective. 

Identity Administration Functionalities

Provisioning and Deprovisioning

Easily create, modify, and delete user accounts across various systems and applications. 

Password Management

Establish and enforce strong password policies, including self-service password resets, to enhance security and user convenience. 

Authentication

Verify user identities to ensure authorized access to resources. 

Access Control Policies

Control what resources users can access based on their roles and responsibilities

Why Identity Governance & Administration Matters

IGA solutions streamline compliance efforts by providing detailed audit trails and comprehensive reporting. This is particularly crucial when navigating complex regulatory landscapes. Modern IGA solutions help organizations adhere to a variety of standards, including:

• Digital Operations Resilience Act (DORA): Enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure systems by ensuring strong identity governance and access controls.
• Network and Information Systems Directive (NIS2): Strengthen cybersecurity measures for essential services and digital infrastructure, including robust identity and access management practices.
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):  Comply with EU data privacy regulations, even if your organization is not based in the EU.
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX):  Enforce strong internal controls and financial reporting standards to prevent accounting fraud.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA):  Protect sensitive health information and maintain patient privacy.
• Regional privacy laws:  Adhere to regional privacy regulations, such as California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD), to safeguard personal data.

Examples Of Successful IGA Implementation

Needing an IGA solution to fulfill their compliance requirements, Bayern LB deployed Omada Identity Cloud. This helped meet compliance mandates, reduce risk, and further enable their entire workforce. Some of the benefits Bayern LB saw from migrating to Omada Identity Cloud include: greater than 50% reduction in time to prepare for audits and greater than 50% reduction in risk through access governance and better visibility.

As part of their digital transformation, DEKRA moved from an in-house developed access management solution to modern IGA with Omada. In a matter of weeks, DEKRA leveraged Omada’s best practice framework Process+ to streamline and automate their access request and approval process. The results were reductions in the number of users’ Help Desk calls and time needed for audit preparation.

The Future of IGA: Emerging Trends and Technologies

Modern IGA must adapt to meet dynamic security threats while enabling agile business operations. Organizations are increasingly seeking IGA solutions that can effectively address challenges such as remote work, cloud adoption, and evolving regulatory requirements. Key trends include the adoption of AI and ML for enhanced security and automation, the integration of zero-trust principles, and the focus on user experience and productivity. Below are some key trends surfaced by Omada’s 2025 State of Identity Governance report:

• Increased IT Security Funding: 89% of respondents reported increased funding for IT security teams.
• Rising Cyber Threat Landscape: Cyberattacks and data breaches continue to pose significant risks, with over 60% of respondents having cyber liability insurance.
• Complex IT Environments: Organizations are grappling with increasingly complex IT environments, including hybrid and multi-cloud setups.
• Manual Process Bottlenecks: Over half of respondents cited time-consuming manual processes as a top issue.
• Demand for Automation and Efficiency: Organizations are seeking IGA solutions to automate tasks and reduce manual effort.
• Advanced Features and AI: 51% of respondents are interested in leveraging AI to improve identity governance.
• Focus on User Experience: Organizations are prioritizing user experience and minimizing friction in access request and approval processes.

Investing in Your Organization’s Future

When selecting a new IGA solution, organizations should consider several factors beyond cost, including: 

Functionality

An effective IGA solution must provide a streamlined user experience, enhance security, and automate key processes. This includes ensuring smooth onboarding and offboarding of users, granting appropriate access rights, and enforcing strong security policies. Leveraging AI and ML can further enhance security by detecting anomalies, automating tasks, and improving decision-making. 

Scalability

An IGA solution should be able to scale with your organization’s growth. Ensure the solution can accommodate increasing user numbers, expanding IT infrastructure, and evolving business requirements. 

Integration

A modern IGA solution should seamlessly integrate with your existing IT infrastructure, including both cloud and on-premises applications. This ensures smooth data flow, minimizes disruptions, and optimizes overall efficiency. Consider factors like integration complexity, training requirements, and the potential impact on existing workflows. 

Vendor Reputation

Consider the vendor’s experience in the IGA market and their commitment to customer success. Review customer testimonials and case studies to assess their track record. Additionally, evaluate the level of support offered, including white-glove services and responsive customer support. A strong vendor-customer relationship is essential for a successful IGA implementation. 

A robust IGA solution is not just a technological investment; it’s a strategic decision that can significantly impact an organization’s security posture, operational efficiency, and compliance adherence. By automating processes, enforcing strong access controls, and providing comprehensive visibility, IGA solutions empower organizations to secure their digital assets and mitigate risks. 

Omada, a leading provider of IGA solutions, empowers organizations to achieve their security and compliance goals. Our flexible and scalable solutions are designed to meet the evolving needs of modern enterprises, helping you secure your future.