To help businesses keep unauthorized users out of their apps and IT resources while allowing authorized users to fulfill their tasks, Microsoft built Azure Identity and Access Management (Azure IAM). Azure IAM is a set of cybersecurity solutions that include conditional access policies, ID management, multifactor authentication (MFA), and advanced monitoring, reporting, auditing, and suspicious activity alerts.
 
This set of solutions provides businesses with numerous benefits. Let’s take a closer look at some of the more important ones in this blog post.

Single sign-on simplifies access to low-risk cloud apps

The value of IT resources is normally measured by how much their loss hampers operations or harms a company’s reputation. Certain resources, when lost or compromised, pose little to no risk to an organization. Access to these low-risk resources must be made as easy as possible for authorized users.
 
One way to do this is to enable single sign-on (SSO) to multiple cloud apps. Azure IAM’s SSO allows a user to use one set of credentials to gain access to thousands of apps at once. This is more efficient than requiring a user to enter credentials every time they need to use a low-risk app.

MFA secures access to mission-critical on-prem and cloud apps

While SSO may be sufficient for non-critical apps, key apps need more stringent access controls due to how crucial they are to the smooth operation of your business. Azure IAM’s MFA ensures that only authorized users can use such apps.
 
MFA requires users to submit at least two access credentials (such as biometric scans, PIN codes, and answers to security questions) to authenticate their identity. This stringent approach makes it difficult for hackers to access your network with stolen passwords alone.
 
Azure takes MFA a step further by making it easier for authorized users to verify their identities. Authentication options include mobile app notifications, text messages, and phone calls.
Moreover, you can also integrate Azure MFA onto client-facing applications and transaction processes. This assures customers that you’re protecting their accounts from being taken over by hackers.

Self-service feature frees up your IT team from low-value tasks

IT admins are usually the ones who manage teams’ online groups and grant permission to reset passwords. However, Azure IAM now allows employees to fulfill such tasks themselves, so your IT staff would have more time to accomplish higher-value tasks.
Secure remote access to on-prem resources
Standard cybersecurity protections for corporate networks include perimeter defenses such as firewalls to keep unauthorized users out. However, with more remote employees trying to access your network from outside the perimeter, granting them entry while still keeping other parties out can prove challenging. Fortunately, Azure IAM has got this covered.
 
Azure IAM’s ID management enables you to create a single identity for every authorized user, be they an employee or a third-party partner. MFA then helps ensure that users are who they say they are and that they’re permitted to access your network. Last but not least, role-based access management allows you to limit or define what users can do with your company’s IT resources based on the identities you assigned them.
 
Talk to our IT specialists at SimplyClouds to learn more ways to better secure your business with Azure Identity and Access Management. Schedule a free consultation with us today.