Everything You Need To Know About Identity And Access Management Systems

Every day, your employees use applications and sensitive business data. Hackers, on the other hand, are out to steal the same information for their own gain. Worse yet, workers who turn rogue can easily steal your data. This is why implementing an identity and access management (IAM) solution is critical.

What is IAM?

Identity and access management is a system that secures, stores, and manages user identities and access privileges. It ensures that users are who they say they are and will grant access to applications and resources only to those who have permission to use them. System administrators can enforce this system to give employees access to only the apps and data they need for work.

Other solutions that go into IAM include single sign-on (SSO) and multifactor authentication (MFA). The former allows users to securely log in to multiple applications that they are authorized to access. Meanwhile, MFA sets an additional method of user verification other than passwords. This includes fingerprint scans, facial ID, or a one-time security code sent via SMS.

These security solutions are designed to protect digital assets even if users attempt to access company accounts through mobile devices and the cloud.

CENTRALIZE ACCESS CONTROL

Too much access to certain systems is risky, while too little can hamper productivity and frustrate users. IAM strikes the perfect balance by letting you set centralized policies for the right access privileges. For example, you can deny your design team access to the accounting system while granting it to your CFO.

Each user’s role and attribute can be used to determine which resources they’re allowed to access and to what extent. This not only offers better security, but also more flexibility and ease of management.

LOWER CHANCES OF DATA BREACHES

With SSO and MFA, your employees will no longer have to remember multiple passwords. Instead, they’ll be able to prove their identity using evidence-based authorization such as answering a personal question that only they would know. IAM also comes equipped with advanced encryption tools to protect sensitive data, reducing the risk of compromised user credentials.

IMPROVE USER EXPERIENCE

Customers today interact with your company across multiple channels, whether in the cloud or via third-party applications. This is where IAM helps provide a better experience through SSO, self-service capabilities, and unified customer profiles that make communication processes quick and easy.

Your employees, on the other hand, will be able to access the information they need securely and conveniently no matter where they are. This means productivity will no longer be confined to their office desk.

ACHIEVE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

Businesses today must meet the constantly changing regulatory requirements concerning data access governance and privacy management. IAM was designed with exactly that in mind and provides control over who can access data and how it can be used and shared.

REDUCE IT COSTS

IAM automates and standardizes many aspects of identity, authentication, and authorization management. This means you’ll be able to minimize significant labor costs associated with keeping your business environment secure.

An identity and access management solution equips you with much-needed security without compromising on usability and convenience. To operate in a digital business environment, it’s not a matter of if but when you’ll adopt IAM within your company.

If you’re looking to enhance company-wide security, whether with IAM or other solutions, why not give Net Activity a call? We can definitely help with that!

5 Tips to Enhance Your Wireless Connection’s Strength

With more businesses moving in the direction of remote connections and mobile devices, it’s no surprise that wireless Internet is such a pain point for organizations. Sometimes it can be an exercise in frustration to connect to your office’s wireless network, and you might not really know what to do about it. Here are some ideas to try and increase your wireless network’s strength or signal.

Check Your Connection First

Since your router speed is based on the speed of your organization’s wired connection, your first recourse should be to check if you are getting the speed that you’re supposed to have. You can do this by running a speed test via a wired connection. If the numbers don’t add up, you may have to contact your Internet service provider or replace your modem. You should also consider testing your speed on a mobile device that connects wirelessly to the network, but do so close to the device; this will help you determine if it’s a structural problem or one involving the router itself.

Reexamine Router Placement

Depending on your office’s setup, the physical placement of your router could be negatively affecting your organization’s wireless connection. A generally good practice is to keep your router in a location that is out in the open, far from walls and other obstructions, so that they cannot interfere with the wireless signal. If you want your signal to reach all parts of your office, then it should be placed at the center (or as close as possible) to distribute an even connection across the area.

Update Your Router

Just like any other device on your network, your wireless router has firmware that must be updated from time to time. The process for updating your router will vary depending on the manufacturer, so we recommend working with our technicians at Directive to see if your router needs to be updated or not. Oftentimes updating your firmware can allow for enhanced performance in general, so it certainly does not hurt to do it every so often.

Implement a Wireless Extender

If all of your efforts to resolve your wireless network issues simply do not work, then perhaps the coverage issue is caused by the area being too large to be covered by your single router. You can expand your wireless network’s range with an extender, essentially rebroadcasting your signal to reach parts of your office that wouldn’t otherwise receive the connection.

If All Else Fails, Use a Wired Connection When Possible

It stands to reason that the fewer devices that connect to a wireless network, the faster it will be. Therefore, if you can utilize wired connections for devices like desktops and laptops, then you should. This keeps the signals from getting gummed up with tons of traffic while you are trying to connect to the wireless network.

Sometimes it is hard to get your wireless connection to work the way you want it to. Net Activity can help you make any needed adjustments to your business’s wireless network or its network device settings. For more assistance or information, contact us at 216-503-5150.

The Best IT-Related Resolutions For The New Year

The past couple of years has been difficult for just about everyone. Business owners and entrepreneurs have had to adapt and evolve to survive in an ever-changing climate. There’s no telling when or even if things will go back to what we once thought was “normal.” As we enter a New Year, many business owners are putting their resolutions in place to survive and hopefully thrive in 2022.

People will focus on plans for growth and ways to bring more profit in for their resolution, but it’s important to include tech- and IT-related resolutions as well. Technology might not be an obvious approach to growing a business, but it goes a long way toward making your clients and employees feel more secure about everyday interactions. This can inadvertently lead to growth as you improve customer relationships as well.

Here are a few tech-related resolutions that we think can greatly improve any business.

Use Multiple Layers Of Cyber Security Protection

There is no security approach that covers every hole or flaw that cybersecurity threats are looking to exploit. The best way to keep your defenses protected is to put in place multiple approaches to cover every possible gap. By using multiple programs and layers, you will ensure that every individual component of your cybersecurity program has a backup to counter any issues.

Your first line of defense should be a firewall. Firewalls help monitor incoming and outgoing traffic and work as a barrier between networks you trust and don’t trust. They essentially shield you from malicious or unnecessary network traffic. Multifactor authentication is an important layer as well. This prevents cyber-attacks that come from weak or compromised passwords. With multifactor authentication, you and your employees may have to receive a text to your cell phones to prove that the correct person is trying to access the network. This will help prevent the use of employee passwords to gain access to sensitive information.

Back-Up Your Data And Replace Old Equipment

Unfortunately, preventive measures don’t always work. An unexpected disaster could cause your network to go down or someone could accidentally delete some important files. Plus, if your data is not backed up, you could lose sensitive information as well as time and money down the road. Customers will also be upset if you lose information pertaining to them. This could devastate your brand’s reputation and cost you customers. If you do not have a backup plan or program in place, you should definitely get one for 2022.

In addition to backup plans, it’s critical to have equipment that is up-to-date. Using slow and outdated technology can take away productivity and will make your job more difficult. If some of your equipment goes down, think about replacing it with something new rather than repairing it. While it might be more expensive at first, this decision will save you time and money in the long run.

Employee Security Training

If you want to run a cyber security-aware business, you’ll need to train your employees in security awareness and create a culture that ensures information security. Providing your employees with training related to information security can make them more comfortable and confident in their decision-making and overall employment. This rubs off on your clients and makes them feel more comfortable about doing business with you. According to information from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, human error is to blame for 90% of cyber data breaches. Getting your employees trained in cybersecurity awareness can help reduce the chance of human error.

As you layout plans to make your business more successful throughout 2022 and beyond, ensure that your tech and information security practices are updated. There are simply no downsides to improving your technology and cybersecurity. Adopting these practices can go a long way toward making your employees and customers feel more comfortable and confident in their decisions.

Why Technology Business Reviews Are Worth It For Your Business

Are your IT assets contributing to your business’s profitability and overall growth? If you can’t tell whether your IT is helping you turn a profit, it’s time to seek the help of professionals who can evaluate your technology’s performance and spot any anomalies before it’s too late. One way to evaluate your IT systems is to conduct regular technology business reviews.

A technology business review reveals the strengths and weaknesses of your company’s IT framework. It’s often performed by a third-party IT consultant who will give an objective assessment of your technology and provide recommendations to help you meet your goals. If done properly, technology business reviews allow you to:

Save money

Every review starts with a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether an implemented solution is worth the continued investment. If there are technologies costing you a fortune in management and maintenance fees, consultants will advise you to cut them from your budget. They will also recommend cost-effective alternatives so you can do more with less.

Increase productivity

System-wide reviews of your IT infrastructure show you what processes are hindering business operations. This allows you to formulate solutions to increase productivity. For example, if employees are mainly sharing files via email, consultants might suggest cloud collaboration platforms, like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, which store data in a centralized location for seamless file sharing.

Enhance security and compliance

Technology business reviews can also uncover security risks within your business. Consultants look for missed patches, poorly configured networks, and other software vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited by cybercriminals.

They’ll then compile their findings to create a more robust cybersecurity strategy, usually one that involves implementing advanced solutions like intrusion prevention systems, file access restrictions, and patch management software.

If you operate a business that’s subjected to data regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), consultants will also pinpoint non-compliant IT practices and solutions and then customize a strategy that ensures the privacy, integrity, and availability of your data.

Implement appropriate technologies

Considering that new technologies are released at a breakneck pace, it’s important to pick those that will help you achieve your business goals. Technology business reviews keep you up to date on the latest technology trends and gauge the impact of implementing them so that you can make informed decisions.

Whether your goal is to increase profits, productivity, security, or all of the above, technology business reviews can put you on the right track. Our seasoned IT consultants can conduct these reviews for you and develop a strategy that gives you an edge over the competition. Just give us a call.