AT The Center: When you read compliance legislation or security guidelines, two of the key components emphasized are "strong authentication" and "access control." In a nutshell, these concepts can be summarized as "be sure that whoever logs in is who you think they are" and "only give people access to the information they need to do their job!"
While strong authentication products, like smartcards and biometric devices, can be implemented independently, they are most cost-effectively introduced as part of an Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solution, which can include components like User Provisioning and Single Sign-On (SSO). SSO Solutions provide a whole host of benefits:
| Cost: | According to studies by Gartner and others,handling a single help desk query costs an average of $20 to $30, and this does not include the opportunity costs associated with a user who can’t do his or her job. By managing application usernames and passwords for the user, SSO solutions often pay for themselves within one year of implementation. |
| Convenience: | How many usernames and passwords do you have? What if your fingerprint (or smart card,or smart token, or proximity badge) could replace them all? |
| Compliance: | SSO Solutions help meet the complex security demands of legislation like Sarbanes Oxley, HIPAA and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Acts, by enforcing your organization’s security policy and restricting users’ access to corporate applications and data. Mature SSO solutions also log user’s access to applications, a key legislative requirement. |
| Enhanced Security: | Because the passwords are being managed automatically by the SSO solution, we can implement much stronger passwords and password policies. |
Implementing an SSO solution has ramifications beyond the IT department, and an IAM Assessment is strongly recommended. There are literally dozens of SSO solutions, some more mature and full-featured than others. Taking the time up front to determine your business drivers and success measures will not only save you money in the long run, it increases the probability of a successful implementation. DBLS is familiar with over a dozen SSO solutions, and can help guide you through this process.
