How IT security is advancing digitalization
IT security has never been more in focus than in today’s connected age. It serves as a protective shield against internal and external attacks. But IT security is so much more. It can be a driver of digitalization while simultaneously protecting values.
How can companies take advantage of this dual function? With specific security measures in their digitalization strategy and self-service solutions, for example for access and identity management. This blog article explains how this works.
Reasons why many companies are lagging behind when it comes to digitalization
Digitalization is the answer when it comes to future strategies for companies across all sectors. However, if we look at digitalization projects that have actually been implemented in the majority of German companies, there is certainly potential for optimization. What are reasons for this?
Time and budget are often a problem. On the one hand, employees must be made aware of risks and how to deal with them through training. On the other hand, in order to establish a suitable strategy, companies must seek advice from experts or form an internal IT security unit.
Aside from that, the question arises whether digitalized data and processes do not simultaneously present the opportunity to become victims of a hacker attack. However, this is only the case if the digitalization strategy allows for security gaps and a lack of transparency. Companies often only realize that investing in IT security is worthwhile when damage has been caused by internal or external attacks. But it should not come to that. So it’s time to get to grips with security-driven digitalization in advance.
IT security through self-service for access and identity management
First of all, what is access and identity management? This includes the task of managing the identities of employees and their access rights within the company.
The problem is that in many organizations, these processes are still mapped entirely or at least partially by manual IT activities. Routing slips or ticket systems are used and documentation takes place in Excel. System disruptions and coordination “on the fly” are cost drivers and increase the risk of external attacks and a lack of transparency in audits.
Self-service solutions – the perfect introduction to digitalization?
Self-service solutions are a good way to get started with digitalization. The only requirement: In order to establish the actual use of the tool in the company, a simple and understandable solution is needed that can be quickly integrated into the daily work routine of all employees without additional effort.
The lower the barrier to entry, the greater the acceptance. And the greater the acceptance of the digitalization strategy, the more secure the basis for its establishment. But how do you get started with digitalization using a self-service solution?
An example from the password reset area: It usually happens in the summertime – people returning from vacation contact the IT administration because they have forgotten their password. The biggest challenge now is to reliably authenticate the user. As the company grows and the number of locations increases, the likelihood of employees and IT administrators knowing each other personally decreases. Nevertheless, the identity for resetting passwords must be proven.
The answer: The simplest solution for this case is offered by software solutions that enable forgotten passwords to be reset at any time of day or night using self-service. A step towards security-driven digitalization that is also beneficial to companies for financial reasons.
How to protect your IT infrastructure effectively
With the BAYOOSOFT Access Manager, our specialized solution for automated authorization management, you can sustainably reduce operational costs while increasing information security through monitoring, auditing and transparent reporting.
Actively involving employees in IT security creates an awareness of data security and at the same time increases the necessary acceptance of the company’s security strategy.
The intuitive self-service portal relieves the burden on IT support and creates clarity. Automate authorization management for file servers, SharePoint, Active Directory and third-party systems and create a secure environment for your digital data.
Established modules, such as Password Reset and File Server Management, help to relieve the burden on IT support in the long term.
Conclusion
Self-service solutions are certainly only one way of supporting companies on their path to secure digitalization.
Nevertheless, they provide a sound basis for IT security and are therefore both a protective shield and a driving force. As pioneers, these software solutions can also free up IT administration capacities, because if IT employees no longer have to worry about requests such as password resets or assigning authorizations, resources are available for other digitalization projects.