Access Management

What is access management?

Access management encompasses the policies, technologies, and processes used to govern digital identities and control their access rights. It goes beyond authentication by enforcing rules for how users, applications, and devices interact with resources. Access management solutions often include single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), privileged access controls, and session monitoring.

Why is access management important?

Weak or poorly managed access is one of the leading causes of breaches. Access management is critical because it prevents unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data, enforces least privilege by granting only the access required for a role, detects and mitigates insider threats and privilege misuse, simplifies regulatory compliance by providing visibility and audit trails, and supports secure remote work and cloud adoption.

What are the key components of access management?

• Authentication: Verifying user or device identity using credentials and MFA.
• Authorization: Granting access to specific resources based on role or policy.
• Single sign-on (SSO): Simplifying access across multiple applications.
• Privileged access management (PAM): Controlling and monitoring high-risk accounts.
• Session management: Monitoring, recording, or restricting active sessions.
• Auditing and reporting: Ensuring transparency and compliance

How does access management work?

Access management solutions enforce policies in real time:

• Users attempt to access an application or system.
• Authentication verifies their identity, often requiring MFA.
• Authorization checks ensure they have the right permissions.
• Session controls monitor activity, enforce time limits, or revoke access when needed.
• Logs and reports document every access request for auditing and compliance.

Use Cases

• Healthcare: Restricts access to electronic health records based on clinical roles, ensuring HIPAA compliance.
• Financial Services: Controls privileged accounts in banking systems to prevent fraud and meet SOX and PCI DSS requirements.
• Government & Legal: Provides strong authentication and auditing for classified data access, ensuring accountability.
• Cloud & SaaS Providers: Implements SSO and conditional access policies across multi-tenant applications for secure scalability.

How Netwrix can help

Netwrix enables organizations to strengthen access management through identity-first protection and comprehensive visibility. With solutions for Identity Management, Privileged Access Management (PAM), and Endpoint Management, Netwrix helps organizations:

• Enforce least privilege across hybrid IT environments.
• Apply MFA and monitor privileged sessions on sensitive systems.
• Automate provisioning and deprovisioning of accounts.
• Detect and remediate risky or unauthorized access in real time.

This ensures only the right people have the right access, reducing risk while maintaining compliance.

Suggested Resources

• Privileged Access Management best practices
• Netwrix Identity Management