Identity is the new perimeter
In a world where employees work from anywhere, data resides in the cloud and the traditional corporate network is losing its boundaries, identity becomes the central control point of information security. Who is this person? Are they allowed to access this system? Under what conditions? These questions are answered by a well-designed Identity and Access Management (IAM) system. It is no exaggeration to say that IAM is the most important building block of any security architecture today. Over 80 percent of all successful attacks use compromised credentials as the entry point. This topic page shows you how to build your access management systematically.
Multi-factor authentication: the single most important measure
If you could implement only one security measure, it should be multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA requires a second factor in addition to the password — typically a push notification on a smartphone, a TOTP code from an authenticator app or a physical security key. Even if an attacker obtains an employee's password, they cannot proceed without the second factor.
Deploying MFA is technically straightforward but requires careful communication and training. Employees need to understand why MFA is necessary and how the authenticator app works. You also need a plan for exceptional situations: what happens when someone loses their phone? How does the recovery process work? Our article on MFA deployment covers all of these aspects and provides a proven rollout plan that minimizes resistance.
Authorization concept: the principle of least privilege
The least-privilege principle states that every user should only receive the access rights they actually need for their current tasks — no more and no less. In practice, this principle often fails due to gradual privilege accumulation: an employee changes departments, receives new rights, but the old ones are never revoked. After a few years, they have access to systems that have nothing to do with their current role.
A good authorization concept is based on roles (Role-Based Access Control, RBAC). You define standard roles for typical functions in your organization and assign employees the appropriate role. This significantly reduces complexity because instead of managing hundreds of individual permissions, you maintain a manageable set of roles. Our article on authorization concepts shows you how to build an RBAC system from the ground up and avoid common mistakes.
User lifecycle management
Managing user accounts throughout their entire lifecycle is one of the most underestimated challenges in IAM. The lifecycle begins with onboarding, when a new employee receives their accounts and access rights, continues through changes during department transfers or new responsibilities, and ends with offboarding, when all access must be suspended and deleted.
Offboarding in particular is a critical security process. A forgotten active account of a former employee is a potential entry point. If the former employee left on bad terms, the potential becomes a concrete risk. You need a structured process that ensures all access is deactivated on the last working day — and not just the Windows login, but also cloud services, VPN, email forwarding and access to physical premises.
Privileged Access Management
Administrative accounts are the jackpot for attackers. A compromised domain admin account gives the attacker full control over your entire Active Directory and thus over all connected systems. Privileged Access Management (PAM) protects these highly privileged accounts through special measures: dedicated admin workstations, time-limited privilege assignment (just-in-time access), recorded sessions and strict MFA requirements.
Service accounts also deserve special attention. These technical accounts often run with elevated privileges, have passwords that are never changed, and are not actively monitored by anyone. Our article on managing service accounts shows you how to identify and bring these hidden risks under control.
Passwordless authentication with FIDO2
The future belongs to passwordless authentication. FIDO2 and WebAuthn enable sign-in via biometric methods (fingerprint, facial recognition) or physical security keys — entirely without a password. This is not only more convenient but also significantly more secure, because phishing attacks on passkeys are technically nearly impossible. Microsoft, Google and Apple already offer comprehensive FIDO2 support, and the technology is mature enough for enterprise deployment. Our article on passwordless authentication explains how to plan the transition and what prerequisites your infrastructure must meet.
