Identity and access management (IAM) solutions allow organizations to protect their people and data, ensure regulatory compliance, reduce costs, and provide a simplified and enhanced experience for users. IAM is an umbrella term given to the range of technical solutions, policies and processes that organizations can put in place to manage user identities and regulate user access. Identity and access management solutions are designed to protect enterprise assets by ensuring that only the right people, in the right context, are able to access certain data or resources.
The global identity and access management market is estimated to grow from USD 13.41 billion in 2021 to USD 34.52 billion in 2028. The market growth of identity and access management software solutions can be attributed to the ever-growing threat of data exposure, data leaks, data loss, insider attacks and insecure usage. The rapid adoption of new emerging technologies across organizations – including cloud-based services, Internet of Things (IoT), and Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) – fuel the rise in cyber-attacks. So, the need to improve security effectiveness, enhance operational efficiency and curb insider threats is clear. Identity and access management software solutions are among the best solutions organizations can utilize to deal with these challenges.
To help you find the right platform for your businesses, we’ll take you through the Top 10 Identity and Access Management Solutions we’ve identified. We’ll examine the key features of IAM solutions, including role-based account controls, single sign-on (SSO), user monitoring and compliance, and give our recommendations as to who each service is best suited for.
JumpCloud is an Open Directory Platform™ that provides a comprehensive and integrated suite of identity and access management (IAM) solutions. With JumpCloud, administrators can deliver directory services, single sign-on (SSO), privilege account management (PAM), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and other critical IAM capabilities that help manage users, devices, secure identities, and secure access to a variety of IT resources—on-premises or in the cloud, across Windows, Linux, or macOS
JumpCloud is a cloud-based IAM solution, that connects an organization’s employees to virtually any resource and configures and secures their remote devices wherever they work.
Through JumpCloud, administrators can deliver zero touch onboarding to provision users and devices anywhere in the world with automated workflows from a single web console. They can implement adaptive secure remote access to require MFA at login to high-value and sensitive resources but relax MFA for more convenient user workflows when they access day-to-day resources on trusted devices and networks. Best of all, JumpCloud enables administrators to implement Zero Trust security capabilities that ensure users can only access resources that they need and only from trusted devices and networks.
JumpCloud is used by over 180,000 organizations worldwide and is consistently ranked as a top solution by customers. The JumpCloud Open Directory Platform is entirely cloud-based, making it a strong option for organizations looking for an IAM solution to help them support remote, hybrid or even traditional on-premises work. We would recommend this solution to organizations looking for an easy-to-user, flexible, and secure identity and access management solution
tenfold Security is an identity and access management provider that focuses on user-friendly, easy-to-manage security. tenfold is their IAM platform designed to enable mid-market organizations to more effectively manage user access permissions across local systems, cloud services and third-party applications. The tenfold platform helps IT teams to increase their security and to achieve compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR, SOX, HIPAA and ISO 27001. Over 1,000 organizations worldwide currently rely on tenfold to help them manage their user lifecycles and access permissions.
tenfold’s self-service interface allows users to request access to different areas of the network whenever they need them, including resources in local systems, cloud and hybrid environments. Access requests are automatically forwarded via email to the relevant authority to grant or deny access. These authorities are sent regular notifications encouraging them to review permissions they’ve granted and confirm or revoke them, helping to minimize the risk of over-privileged users across the network. To ensure complete visibility into user access and help prove compliance with data protection standards, tenfold logs all changes made to access rights and offers robust reporting tools, which IT admins can use to view all current and historical privileges held by any user. tenfold also generates reports into access changes made from directly within the system (as opposed to being made from within the tenfold platform), which allows admins to identify disparities between sets of user permission data.
tenfold offers a range of out-of-the-box integrations with popular business software and applications, including the Microsoft 365 suite, SAP ERP and HCL Notes. In addition to this, the platform’s API and REST-based Generic Connector enable organizations to seamlessly integrate it with their own custom, in-house applications. This makes tenfold easy to deploy, and enables businesses to ensure secure user access across their entire network. We recommend tenfold as a strong IAM solution for mid-sized organizations looking to more efficiently manage and secure user access to corporate resources, and particularly those looking to enable self-service access requests.
IS Decisions is an access security provider that specializes in securing Windows Active Directory and cloud environments. UserLock is their access management solution for Active Directory identities, which combines multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, and session management to protect on-prem and remote user access to corporate systems and cloud apps. As well as the platform’s focus on improving security, UserLock also enables businesses to prove compliance with data protection standards, offering support for GDPR, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOX, ISO27001, and NIST 800-53.
With UserLock, IT admins can enforce MFA across Windows logins, remote desktops, IIS apps, VPNs, and cloud apps. UserLock supports authentication via authenticator apps and hardware tokens, including YubiKey and Token2. Admins can configure rules to grant, deny, or limit logins based on contextual factors, including machine/device, time, session type, and concurrent logins. For example, admins can limit which locations users can gain access from or their session duration. Admins can also enable SAML-based SSO for frictionless access to cloud apps such as the MS365 suite. From the management console, admins can not only configure MFA and SSO rules, but also gain insights into user access activity across their environment. These include audit reports on AD login attempts, compliance reports, and real-time session monitoring. If an admin notices any suspicious behavior, they can block that session remotely, which closes the current session and prevents further login attempts.
UserLock is a robust identity and access management solution that gives IT teams a comprehensive overview of user access activity across their Windows Server and cloud environments, as well as enabling admins to proactively mitigate access-related threats in real time. The platform is straightforward to deploy, and IS Decisions includes full technical support with all subscriptions for ease of ongoing management. As such, we recommend UserLock to both SMBs and larger enterprises looking for a scalable, secure way to manage user access and prove compliance with data protection and insurance requirements.
Thales – a global high technology leader – provide solutions, products and services that enable customers to fortify their defenses while placing humans at the center of the decision-making process. Thales have brought to the market their innovative access management solution, SafeNet Trusted Access, which is a cloud-based solution with an integrated platform that seamlessly brings together SSO, risk-based policies and universal authentication methods, all without overly disrupting user convenience and usability.
The solution offers streamlined authentication and access management, makes user access to cloud services as simple as possible, and frees users and IT professionals from password hassle. Important features of this solution include a broad range of multi-factor and modern authentication capabilities, straightforward cloud access via Smart Single Sign-On, SaaS delivery efficiencies, flexible scenario-based access policies, fine-grained access policies for optimal security, and secure access for contractors and partners. They offer a single pane view of access events across the app estate, providing clear insight and ensuring that the right individuals are afforded access to the right applications at the right time. Compliance is made simple as the solution offers visibility into all access events and, as a cloud-based service, can also deploy quickly and scale easily as the needs of the organization evolve.
Thales’ SafeNet Trusted Access provides businesses and organizations with the flexibility and power to secure a wide range of user constituencies who may need a variety of authentication methods to access all apps. The solution is well rated, receiving praise for its robust authentication, ease of use and straightforward implementation. We would recommend SafeNet Trusted Access for organizations, especially for those looking for robust modern authentication capabilities to address diverse user needs.
IT teams have been turning to ManageEngine for feature rich software since their founding in 2002, with the IT of over 180,000 companies worldwide powered by their on-premises and cloud solutions. Their unified identity and access management solution, ADManager Plus, is designed for management and reporting and comes with a variety of useful features including one-click provisioning, secure delegations, granular access management, ready-made reports, multilevel workflows, on-the-go identity management, and more.
ADManager offers users a unique delegation model that is secure and easy to use. This solution sets itself apart from other Active Directory management tools with its ability to delegate rights to helpdesk technicians in a manner that is non-invasive.
The solution comes in three editions with different capabilities. Starting with a free option with 200+ Active Directory reports, AD users’ management, and AD computer management, then a Standard Edition (starts at $595) which adds to that multiple domain management, help desk delegation, Office 365 management and reporting, and exchange server management and reporting. Finally, a Professional Edition (starts at $795) which add to those capabilities more advanced features like file server management, AD OU management, reports scheduling, OU-based administration, workflow automation and SPO management.
ManageEngine ADManager Plus’s different tiered approach makes it suitable to a wide range or organizations, from larger enterprises to SMBs. We would recommend this auditing, security and compliance solution to organizations looking to manage AD objects easily and create instant reports.
Prove is a fast-growing identity proofing and affirmation provider utilized by over 1,000 businesses across a range of industries, including banks, financial services, insurance, healthcare, and e-commerce. Prove is currently servicing 8 out of the top 10 US banks and works to mitigate fraud while boosting revenue, reducing operating costs, and improving user experiences. Prove offers a selection of access management solutions which center around their Phone-Centric Identity technology. This technology is unique in how it leverages the mobile phone and phone number as the primary authenticator and operates seamlessly via the customers’ existing mobile devices to verify and authenticate identity, without the need to download a separate app or purchase a physical hardware token in order to facilitate authentication.
Prove’s Pre-Fill solution leverages phone signals and verified identity attributes to reduce the time it takes for customers to create accounts to under 10 seconds. Prove’s Identity Management solution is a registry of tokenized customer identities that manages customer phone numbers, enabling greater customer data accuracy and helping enable compliance. Prove’s Identity solution helps prevent SIM Swaps and other identity threat by verifying a consumer’s identity by validating consumer provided information, assigning a real-time, risk-scoring “Trust Score.” and confirming they are in fact in possession of the phone they rightfully own. These validations assist with Know Your Customer and Customer Identification Program compliance programs. Prove’s Auth solution is a mobile-first, comprehensive suite of authenticators ranging from traditional OTPs to sophisticated mobile authentication and biometric authenticators for passwordless login and/or as a seamless second factor method of authentication. With this authenticator suite, clients can tailor authentication across low to high-risk transactions to minimize friction while prioritizing customer experience.
Prove’s cloud-based solution is easy to integrate with the infrastructure an organization already has in place and omnichannel solutions are available in 195+ countries. We recommend Prove for SMBs and enterprises seeking a straightforward, seamless identity and authentication experience that provides users with enhanced security and admin oversight.
Okta are a leading identity and access management provider. They offer an enterprise-grade IAM service, designed for the cloud but compatible with a range of on-premises applications. More than 10,000 organizations worldwide have made use of Okta’s solutions to manage the identities of their workforce and customers. Okta Workforce Identity enables digital account protection for global teams, supporting both secure cloud applications and hybrid environments. Okta also supports custom built applications and provides users with a consistent password-less experience between all corporate accounts, resulting in enhanced visibility and control.
Features of Okta Workforce Identity includes secure, intelligent access for your workforce and customers through single sign-on and multi-factor authentication, as well as advanced server access and a universal directory that hosts all users, groups, and devices. Okta SSO integrates with over 7,000 integrations with adaptive security policies to secure user behavior. Okta provides admins with a comprehensive dashboard where they can manage internal and external users and view comprehensive reports. Okta also provides lifecycle management which allows you to easily manage provisioning with easy to implement automation, an access gateway which extends modern identities to on-prem apps while keeping the hybrid cloud protected, and API access management.
Otka Workforce Identity is well rated by users, particularly for the ease of deployment, ease of use and the comprehensive range of features and applications that work to keep important data safe. We recommend Okta Workforce Identity to organizations looking for a flexible solution that is adaptable to their specific needs.
Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is a cloud-based identity and access management service from Microsoft which is designed to help employees sign into their accounts and gain accesses to the resources they need for Office 365 and connected applications. This product manages over 1.2 billion identities around the world and each day processes over 8 billion authentications.
Microsoft Azure AD enables O365 users to implement single sign-on, which works to simplify the process of accessing connected apps and automates workflows for user lifecycle and provisioning. This solution provides enhanced account security via multi-factor authentication, which can be delivered through the Microsoft Authenticator mobile app. Admins can easily integrate their users into third-party apps and services using Azure, with seamless API-based development tools. The solution also allows admins to enable passwordless authentication using the Microsoft Authenticator app, or FIDO2 Security Keys.
With Microsoft Azure AD in place, organizations can more effectively safeguard user credentials through the enforcement of strong authentication and conditional access policies, as well as securely manage user identities ensure that key permissions are granted only to the appropriate recipients. Azure AD integrates with thousands of SaaS applications and admins can easily enforce conditional access policies from their O365 dashboard to consolidate and secure account access. The solution is rated highly by users and we’d recommend the solution for organizations looking to implement secure single sign-on and multi-factor authentication across corporate applications and services.
IBM is a multinational technology organization that serve clients in 170 countries worldwide. With IBM Security Verify, organizations can implement identity-as-a-service, enabling multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, password-less authentication, adaptive access, lifecycle management and identity analytics for all users.
IBM Security Verify offers users a range of useful features, including the option to log in to their accounts with federated single sign-on, maintaining secure access to applications through a single set of login credentials. This solution offers an additional layer of security and support for compliance requirements with multi-factor authentication, enhances risk awareness and helps prevent breaches with identity analytics, and uses contextual, risk-based authentication to streamline the access rights of low-risk users. IBM Security Verify also lets you better protect your on-premises applications from the cloud and provides custom activity reports to easily troubleshoot suspicious events.
IMB Security Verify supports IT, security and business leaders in their effort to ensure their digital users, data and assets are protected in a hybrid multi-cloud world, while ensuring operational efficiency and technical agility are maintained. This solution is best suited to enterprises and is well-rated for its advanced features and the pricing, where it ranks in the top half of IAM products. We would recommend IBM Security Verify to enterprises that are interested in implementing a Zero-Trust identity management in the cloud; one with an automated, fully-featured solution that offers SSO, password-less authentication and risk-based MFA.
HID Global are a security and access management vendor that secures and verifies people, places and devices. Their products and services support millions of users across over 100 countries. HID Global are a worldwide leader in trusted identity solutions and are driven by a zero-trust philosophy, providing risk-based multi-factor authentication solutions to secure digital accounts. They provide a comprehensive identity and access management solution which includes MFA, identity management and credentialing, digital certificates and PKI-based authentication to support easier management for larger organizations.
Features of HID’s identity and access management solution include advanced multi-factor authentication that uses a layered and flexible zero-trust approach to improve security, and physical identity and access management which allows you to maintain control over physical identities (employees, visitors or vendors) throughout the organization. They also provide customer authentication features, which secures the digital identities of your customers from end-to-end. Their comprehensive HID WorkforceID service for enterprise customers provides access to a variety of cloud-based apps which facilitate the seamless and unified management of identities.
HID’s end-to-end identity and access management solution allows organizations to create seamless, simple and straightforward experiences for issuing, managing and utilizing identity credentials within workspaces, for both digital accounts and physical premises. The combination of the simplified, secure multi-factor authentication and the flexibility they offer makes this product a strong choice for businesses that have chosen to adopt a hybrid or fully remote workplace in the wake of the pandemic. We would recommend them to organizations – mid-sized or large enterprises – who are looking for a robust and comprehensive access management solution.
FAQ
What Are Identity Management Solutions?
Our digital identities contain information that defines our role and our level of access in the overall enterprise hierarchy, as well as information about who we are and how to contact us. Identities do not remain stagnant and can evolve over time if there is a change to the role, the work location etc. The role of an identity management solution is to keep tabs on these changes to effectively identify individuals, ensuring that the correct people are granted appropriate access.
What is Access Management Software?
The process of access management involves the authentication of an identity that is blocked from accessing a particular resource, until it can be accurately verified. Authentication and authorization are not the same thing, and both are required to be granted access. Your identity can be authenticated (proof that you are who you say you are), but that does not mean you have authorization to access a particular area. First, access management services must authenticate the digital identity, and then determine whether a user should be granted access. This is based on identity and permission requirements.
Identity management software manages the attributes related to the user, while access management services work to evaluate those attributes based on policies to make an access decision.
How Is IAM Software Deployed?
Identity and access management software can be deployed on-premises, or alternatively businesses can take a cloud-based approach. With on-premises deployment, software must be installed on your own computers, while cloud services can be quickly and easily deployed without requiring any additional equipment.
How Can You Compare Identity And Access Management Systems?
The best way to compare identity and access management systems is to first get a clear idea of your organization’s individual needs, as these needs may differ widely depending on the industry, number of potential users, and risk areas. Once you have a greater understanding of what you need, read our guide to the top solutions on the market. Your decision may come down to a specific capability, familiarity with the security vendor offering the solution, or specific recommendations from peers.
What Features Should You Look For When Considering IAM Solutions?
Solutions will differ from vendor to vendor, but typically should include the following features to be considered a robust solution:
- MFA. This is an absolute must-have that any decent identity and access management solution should be including. Multi-factor authentication is undeniably safer than using a single authentication method like a passcode or password/login. When a single leaked credential has the potential to compromise an entire network, anything that works to place additional steps in the way of this outcome is valuable.
- Passwordless authentication. Passwordless authentication options can still be multi-factored, but users identify themselves via physical devices, biometrics, and other simple-to-manage systems. Passwordless authentication can also allow a password option as a backup to further increase utility.
- Privileged account management. Privileged accounts are a particularly vulnerable to attack as these accounts have a high level of access. Compromising a privileged account is an attractive target for attackers. There should be as limited a number of privileged accounts as possible – this way you can reduce the attack surface. Organizations should make sure to have appropriate and additional controls in place to manage them and keep these accounts safe.
- Role-based access control. This is another important feature that can significantly reduce the risk of account compromise. Organizations utilizing role-based access control will have greater control over their permission, increasing security in important areas by ensuring that that users can access only what is necessary to them and their role. Zero-trust infrastructure is the way forward.
- Meeting compliance and audit requirements. It is increasingly important to be able to provide a comprehensive digital trail for audit purposes and to maintain compliance. A good IAM system should be able to provide this information regarding all users’ access across all digital files.