5 Access control challenges organizations face and possible solution
Access control is an integral part of any organization’s security system. Of course, there must be selective access restrictions to certain offices, sections, data, and other resources, given the wide differences in organizational hierarchy and authorization levels.
According to Verizon, internal actors were involved in 34% of all data breaches in 2019. Obviously, not everyone — and definitely not every employee — should have access to every resource or area in the company, no matter how small it is.
But then, given there are challenges to implementing an access control system. We discuss them below.
1. Granting permissions and exceptions under duress
Duress, in this case, refers to situations where a company is pressed to complete and market a product quickly. To expedite the production process, all team members may be granted permission into secured data levels. This practice can undermine the existing security provided by the access control system. It becomes synonymous with the weakest link in a strong chain.
Critical situations may also require making policy exceptions that can be hard to manage and keep track of.
This is one serious challenge you may face when implementing access control.
2. Compliance
Continuous monitoring and reporting of access control systems are crucial for organizations to ensure compliance with internal policies and government regulations. Any unauthorized access or changes in the system should be identified and reported immediately to prevent sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.
Failure to do so can result in fines under privacy laws and potentially cost the company millions of dollars in revenue.
3. Managing distributed IT systems in the cloud
One of the main challenges in implementing access control is managing distributed IT systems. With the rise of cloud and on-premise networks, it’s common for systems to be spread out across different locations and include many devices and virtual machines. Keeping track of access to these different components can be daunting.
Most businesses are moving towards cloud-based technology, which means distributed IT systems will become even more prevalent. This makes it crucial for access control methods to adapt and keep up with the changing landscape.
4. The chosen access control system
The access control model you choose for your organization will determine the level of security you can provide while still allowing for employee productivity. The most commonly used model is RBAC, which is easy to set up and suitable for small businesses. The use of security doors is another common way of installing an access control system for SMBs. Other legacy models like MAC and DAC are often used by military and government agencies.
For more advanced control, attribute-based access control (ABAC) and policy-based access management (PBAM) offer fine-grained control over authorization decisions.
These models let you assign specific attributes to determine whether users can access a resource, allowing for more precise control over access.
5. Communication gap between policy creators and implementers
The organization’s decision-makers create policies, which the IT department then translates into code for implementation. These two groups must coordinate effectively to keep the access control system up-to-date and working properly.
However, there’s often a communication gap between policy creators and implementers. Implementers may not fully understand the intent behind access control rules, while decision-makers may not have the technical expertise to update or change policies on their own.
This highlights the importance of having clear communication channels and collaboration between these two groups.
Final thoughts
The importance of air-tight security company-wide cannot be overemphasized. Millions of dollars and a company’s years of work can go down the drain if a rogue employee gains unauthorized access to a critical resource. Hence, there’s every need to address these challenges head-on.
