What is Identity Governance and Administration?
Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) is a critical aspect of cybersecurity and Identity and Access Management (IAM) that focuses on managing and controlling digital identities within an organisation. IGA encompasses the policies, processes and technologies that ensure users have the appropriate access to resources in compliance with organisational policies and regulatory requirements. It plays a vital role in maintaining security, reducing risks and ensuring that access rights are aligned with the principles of least privilege and need-to-know.
At its core, IGA involves identity lifecycle management, which covers the entire process of creating, managing and retiring user identities. This lifecycle begins with the onboarding of a new employee or user, where their identity is created and associated with specific roles and access privileges based on their job function. As users' roles evolve, such as through promotions, departmental transfers or changes in job responsibilities, their access rights must be adjusted accordingly. IGA systems automate and streamline this process, ensuring that access rights are consistently updated to reflect current roles and responsibilities, thereby reducing the risk of unauthorised access.
A key component of IGA is access request management, where users can request access to specific resources, applications or data. IGA systems facilitate the approval process by routing these requests to the appropriate authorities within the organisation, who can approve or deny access based on established policies. This ensures that access is granted based on a clear and auditable process, aligning with both business needs and security requirements. Additionally, IGA solutions often include self-service portals that allow users to request access or manage certain aspects of their identity, reducing the administrative burden on IT staff while maintaining control and oversight.
Role-based access control (RBAC) and entitlement management are central to IGA, enabling organisations to define and enforce policies around who can access what resources and under what conditions. RBAC assigns access rights based on the roles users hold within the organisation, ensuring that they only have the permissions necessary to perform their job functions. Entitlement management further refines this by allowing granular control over specific permissions and resources, providing a more detailed level of access control. These mechanisms help enforce the principle of least privilege, minimising the potential for insider threats or unauthorised access due to overly broad access rights.
Governance and compliance are also major focuses of IGA, particularly in relation to regulatory requirements like GDPR, HIPAA and SOX. IGA systems provide the tools necessary to conduct regular audits of user access and permissions, ensuring that all access rights are justified and compliant with relevant regulations. These audits can identify potential risks, such as users with excessive privileges or orphaned accounts (inactive accounts that still have access rights), which could be exploited by malicious actors. By enforcing strict governance controls and enabling detailed reporting, IGA helps organisations demonstrate compliance with data protection and privacy laws, reducing the risk of fines and reputational damage.
Identity analytics and reporting are increasingly important components of IGA, leveraging data analytics to provide insights into identity and access activities across the organisation. These tools can detect patterns of risky behaviour, such as repeated failed login attempts or unusual access requests, and trigger alerts for further investigation. Identity analytics also support the continuous monitoring of access rights, helping organisations to identify and remediate potential security issues proactively. This real-time visibility into identity and access management enhances overall security posture and enables quicker responses to potential threats.
In relation to IAM, IGA integrates tightly with authentication and authorisation processes, ensuring that only authorised users gain access to sensitive resources. While IAM focuses on verifying user identities and granting access, IGA adds a governance layer that continuously monitors and controls who has access, how they obtained it and whether it is still appropriate. This integration is essential for maintaining a secure and compliant access management framework, as it allows organisations to enforce policies consistently across all users and systems.
