Improve security by making every identity prove why it needs access, then remove that access the moment the need ends. That is the big idea behind Identity Governance and Access Management, or IGAM. It sounds serious. It is. But the concept is simple. Give the right people the right access, for the right reason, at the right time.
TLDR: IGAM helps stop account chaos before it turns into a breach. It controls who gets access, checks if they still need it, and blocks risky permissions. For example, a 500-person company may find that 18% of users still have access to apps from old roles. Removing that access can cut attack paths fast, with very little drama.
What Is Identity Governance and Access Management?
Think of your company as a big office building.
Every app is a room. Payroll is a locked vault. Email is the lobby. Admin tools are the server room with a huge red button that says, please do not touch.
Access management decides who can enter each room. It uses tools like passwords, single sign on, and multi factor authentication.
Identity governance asks a smarter question. Should this person still have the key?
Together, they stop access from turning into a junk drawer. Because that junk drawer will grow. Fast.
Why Access Gets Messy
Access problems rarely start with a villain in a hoodie.
They start with normal work.
- A new hire needs ten apps by Monday.
- A manager says, “Just give them what Chris has.”
- A contractor needs temporary access.
- An employee changes teams.
- Someone leaves the company.
Then nobody cleans it up.
Honestly, it feels like old access grows like weeds. One small exception becomes a permanent permission. Then another. Then another. Six months later, a marketing intern can export customer records because nobody removed a test role.
That is not a people problem. It is a process problem.
Start With a Full Identity List
You cannot protect what you cannot see.
Start by building one clean list of identities. Not just employees. Include everyone and everything that can sign in.
- Full time staff
- Part time staff
- Contractors
- Vendors
- Service accounts
- Shared accounts, if they still exist
- Bots and automation users
Shared accounts are trouble. They hide who did what. If five people use “financeadmin,” good luck proving who changed the bank file. That is security fog. Nobody enjoys that.
Give each person a unique identity. Give each system identity an owner. If nobody owns an account, disable it until someone complains. They usually will. Fast.
Use Least Privilege
Least privilege means users get only the access they need. Nothing extra. No “just in case” admin rights. No magical superpowers for people who only need to view reports.
This is one of the simplest ways to lower risk.
If an attacker steals a basic account, the damage is limited. If they steal an overpowered account, your week gets very long.
Use roles to make this easier. A finance analyst may need billing tools, reporting, and document storage. They do not need source code access. A developer may need code tools. They do not need payroll.
Simple roles beat random access every time.
Make Joiner, Mover, and Leaver Processes Tight
IGAM shines when people join, move, or leave.
- Joiner: A new person starts. They get access based on role.
- Mover: A person changes jobs. Old access is removed. New access is added.
- Leaver: A person exits. Access is shut off right away.
The leaver step is huge.
A former worker with active access is not just awkward. It is a real risk. Even friendly exits need clean cutoff. Nobody should keep access because “we forgot.” That excuse has caused many painful calls.
Automate this with HR data when possible. If HR marks someone as terminated, core accounts should switch off quickly. Not next week. Not after three email reminders. Quickly.
Add Multi Factor Authentication
Passwords are not enough.
People reuse them. They write them down. They get tricked. Some passwords are still “Summer2024!” and yes, attackers know that game.
Multi factor authentication, or MFA, adds another check. It may be an app prompt, a hardware key, or a device approval.
Use MFA for all users if you can. At minimum, require it for:
- Admins
- Finance teams
- HR teams
- Remote access
- Cloud consoles
- Email accounts
Email deserves special care. If attackers control email, they can reset passwords for other tools. That is like stealing the front desk master key.
Review Access Often
Access reviews are the vegetables of security. Not exciting. Still good for you.
Managers and app owners should review who has access. They should confirm if each user still needs it.
Keep reviews short and focused. Nobody wants a 900-row spreadsheet with cryptic role names. It drives me crazy when a review shows “APP_ROLE_72B” and expects a manager to make a wise choice. Name roles like humans will read them.
Review high-risk access more often. Admin rights may need monthly checks. Normal app access may need quarterly checks. Low-risk tools can be reviewed less often.
Track decisions. If Sarah keeps payroll export access, the system should record who approved it and when.
Watch for Toxic Access Combinations
Some access is fine alone but risky together.
For example, one person should not be able to create a vendor and approve payments to that vendor. That is called a separation of duties issue.
Common risky combinations include:
- Create vendor plus approve payment
- Request purchase plus approve purchase
- Create user plus grant admin rights
- Change payroll plus approve payroll
IGAM tools can flag these patterns. Then security and business teams can fix them before fraud or mistakes happen.
Protect Privileged Accounts Like Crown Jewels
Privileged accounts are powerful. They can change systems, view sensitive data, and create more access.
Use extra controls for them.
- Require MFA every time.
- Use just in time admin access.
- Expire admin sessions quickly.
- Record admin activity.
- Ban shared admin accounts.
Just in time access is great. A user gets admin power only when needed. Then it disappears. Like renting a power tool instead of carrying a chainsaw all day.
Connect IGAM to Your Security Tools
IGAM should not live alone in a corner.
Connect it to your identity provider, HR system, ticketing tool, cloud apps, and security monitoring. This creates a cleaner chain of events.
Example flow:
- A manager requests access for an employee.
- The system checks policy.
- Risky access needs extra approval.
- Access is granted.
- The action is logged.
- The access expires or gets reviewed later.
This beats random chat messages like, “Can you add Sam to the admin group?” That message may be fast. It is also a little terrifying.
Measure What Matters
If you want better security, track progress.
Useful numbers include:
- How many orphan accounts exist
- How long it takes to remove access after exit
- How many users have admin rights
- How many access reviews are overdue
- How many roles violate policy
- How much unused access was removed
Set simple goals. Cut orphan accounts by 80%. Remove leaver access within one hour. Reduce standing admin access by 50%. These targets are clear. They also make audits less painful.
Keep It Simple for Users
Security that blocks work will get bypassed.
Make access requests easy. Use plain language. Show users what they are asking for. Give managers enough context to approve or deny without guessing.
Fast does not mean loose. It means clean. A good access system should feel like ordering lunch, not filing taxes in a thunderstorm.
The Best First Steps
If this feels big, start small.
- List all identities.
- Remove disabled and orphan accounts.
- Turn on MFA for risky users.
- Define five to ten core roles.
- Review admin access first.
- Automate leaver access removal.
Security improves when access has rules, owners, and expiration dates. IGAM gives you that control. It cuts clutter. It lowers risk. Best of all, it stops “who gave them access?” from becoming the scariest question in the room.