7 Identity and Access Management Best Practices for Cloud and Web Apps

Brandon Keller

When prospective customers come to us about their web and cloud security needs, the focus is often on protecting data—which doesn’t come as a surprise.

Our Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) and Secure Web Gateway (SWG) are core components that can flesh out any organization’s data security strategy. We’re here to make sure all your bases are covered.

That’s why we like to remind our customers that our solutions can bolster your Identity and Access Management (IAM) strategy. IAM plays a critical role in securing data for the work-from-anywhere users that every company now has.

These 7 identity and access management best practices go a long way toward protecting your cloud and web applications.

1/ Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

2/ Rotate Passwords Regularly

3/ Apply Zero Trust Access Controls

4/ Don’t Lose Track of Shadow IT

5/ Apply DLP Controls

6/ Regularly Audit Access Logs

7/ Use CASB and SWG in Tandem

Best Practices for Identity and Access Management

1/ Enable MFA

Enforce measures to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to your systems, applications and data. MFA provides an additional layer of access security by requiring users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access.

This is one of the simplest ways to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive data.

2/ Rotate Passwords Regularly

While MFA can help prevent breaches even when a password is compromised, you should also enforce regular password rotation.

Determine the schedule that’s right for your organization, and clearly communicate expectations to all employees regarding resetting passwords, how many characters they need and any other password rotation criteria you choose.

3/ Apply Zero Trust Access Controls

Applying Zero Trust access controls to cloud applications gives you continuous control of business-critical data, no matter where users are or what device they use. Forcepoint ONE CASB offers full visibility and control over data in any application for safe, high-performance use everywhere.

While CASB offers great access controls, keep in mind that it isn’t intended to replace your broader IAM strategy. Your IAM approach will be stronger by enhancing it with a CASB solution.

Think of it this way: IAM can determine the applications that employees can access. Then, CASB manages what employees can do within applications.

4/ Don’t Lose Track of Shadow IT

It’s no doubt that your employees access many SaaS applications. CASBs are essential for protecting access to them.

However, CASB doesn’t just ensure that SaaS apps are secure; it also identifies and secures unauthorized applications (AKA shadow IT) that employees might access. Unapproved software in use, from popular services like ChatGPT for example, can make terabytes of sensitive information vulnerable to data leaks.

Shadow IT is the last thing a security team wants to deal with given the severe risk of data loss it poses.

5/ Apply DLP Controls

Forcepoint DLP identifies, monitors and automatically protects sensitive information by applying protective actions like encryption, access restrictions and more. You can even extend DLP policies to the cloud and web to safeguard access to data and further strengthen your IAM strategy.

And tools like Forcepoint Risk-Adaptive Protection (RAP) go beyond DLP capabilities to allow you to gain real-time visibility into how users are interacting with the data they access—making it much easier to identify and prevent risky behaviors as they happen. This also frees up your staff through its automatic policy adjustments.

6/ Regularly Audit Access Logs

You should regularly audit access logs and permissions to ensure that only authorized employees can access critical data. Even though it’s simple, it shouldn’t be overlooked.

This can greatly minimize the risk of insider threats.

7/ Use CASB and SWG in Tandem

Sensitive data is difficult to control in the cloud, so take data threats seriously by gaining full visibility and control with solutions like our CASB.

Used in tandem with Forcepoint SWG, CASB can help you control access to rapidly growing technologies, such as AI applications, on the cloud and web.

We can help you put all the pieces together. Talk to an expert today to learn how Forcepoint can better help you secure cloud and web applications.

Brandon Keller
Brandon is a Multimedia Content Marketer, driving content strategy and development across Forcepoint platforms. He applies his enterprise marketing experience to help organizations adopt industry-leading security solutions.
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