Most companies have an ad hoc approach to identity management, spawning vast numbers of access passwords and saddling IT with a heavy admin load, Oracle UK’s head of security Daniel Roberts told Computer Business Review.
The typical organization has tens to hundreds of systems and each one has their own set of identities, so managing all of these is a rather large overhead for organizations, said Roberts.
He said companies’ constant stream of joiners, movers, and leavers further complicates data access rights. Without centralized management, it’s easy for employees moving between departments to retain access rights and view data that they shouldn’t see, potentially exposing firms to internal fraud and breaking compliance legislation.
Using a centralized identity management tool will automate staff access rights and ensure they are updated immediately someone moves department or leaves the company.
As the one place that holds information on employee movements, it is vital for HR to work with IT staff on any identity management initiative.
By integrating the HR and ID management you get greater value than if they work independently, said Brian Cormican, head of human capital management at Oracle UK.
As well as reducing exposure to risk, centralized ID management cuts the admin burden and reduces the number of help-desk queries about passwords and access privileges. Cormican said the cost of kitting out new joiners with equipment and access could also be cut by 30% to 40%.
