Contents
- 1 What is CIEM?
- 2 What Advantages Does CIEM Offer?
- 3 CIEM vendors
- 4 What Are the Components of CIEM?
- 5 How Is CIEM Used?
- 6 CIEM tools
What is CIEM?
One kind of automated cloud security solution that reduces the risk of data breaches in public cloud environments is cloud infrastructure entitlement management (CIEM). Through constant monitoring of entities’ permissions and activities to make sure they’re functioning inside the proper access limits, CIEMs avoid excessive entitlements. Comprehensive reporting from an efficient CIEM system helps to improve cloud security posture, minimise DevOps disruption, and expedite access management.
What Advantages Does CIEM Offer?
From improving visibility across cloud infrastructures to reducing disruption and satisfying compliance requirements, CIEM solutions provide a multitude of advantages. Since there are now a lot of CIEM vendors, CIEM solutions are more varied to meet the unique requirements of each business. Using CIEM tools has several advantages, such as:
Improved productivity and innovation
Every time an organisation adds new workloads and applications, CIEM tools handle problems caused by granting too many permissions. Cutting-edge machine learning technology aids in risk identification and cybersecurity solution customisation. As a result, companies can minimise interruptions and increase production.
Automated
CIEM systems automate the process of managing user permissions across different cloud environments, including the definition of user accounts and permissions. They automatically keep an eye out for any strange, malevolent, or suspicious activity, and when they do, they take the proper corrective action. Given the rise in cyberthreats, it is imperative to recognise attack trends and act quickly.
Enhanced visibility
CIEM solutions give businesses more insight into demands for resource access throughout their cloud infrastructures. Meeting regulatory compliance standards and managing permissions more effectively depend on this.
Reduced costs
Complete application use visibility is offered by CIEM. This knowledge essentially makes the usage of cloud computing resources more economical by facilitating better-informed decisions on capacity requirements, cloud subscription management, or migrating to different cloud environments.
Continuity of business
Organisations can better prevent business disruptions by using CIEM to monitor the entire infrastructure for abnormalities related to entitlement and access.
Clearly defined user roles
System administrators and IT managers are examples of distinct user roles that are assigned by CIEM tools. IT teams are able to:
- Improved tracking of cloud resource usage
- Verify that user access complies with company regulations.
- Limit user access if requests go above what is permitted.
CIEM vendors
The following suppliers provide cloud infrastructure entitlement management (CIEM) or customer identity and access management (CIAM) solutions:
Okta
A CIAM solution that requires little additional code and is easy for developers to use. It provides adaptability for a range of applications and systems.
CyberArk
A business that provides users and devices with intelligent privilege controls through its Identity Security platform.
ForgeRock
In 2016, an open-source platform went commercial.
OneLogin
Employees, developers, managers, and other users can easily utilise this cloud-based service provider.
Auth0
A platform that can be customised and provides every user with safe access to any application.
CyberDuo
an organisation that provides cybersecurity and IT solutions, such as cloud security and compliance assistance.
A business that provides a CIEM solution that adheres to the least privilege concept.
CloudDefense.AI
One type of software-as-a-service (SaaS) that aids businesses in controlling access and identity in cloud environments is called CIEM. It aids in defending data and systems from vulnerabilities such as data breaches and cyberattacks.
What Are the Components of CIEM?
Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) manages cloud access permissions and is essential to cloud security. The following are the main elements of CIEM:
Entitlement Discovery
Automated Scanning
To find all of your current entitlements, such as users, groups, roles, and service accounts, CIEM tools continuously search your cloud environment (AWS, Azure, GCP, etc.).
Data collection
This procedure collects detailed information about who may access which resources, such as databases, virtual machines, storage buckets, and other vital assets.
Inventory of Identity
Centralised View
All of the identities in your cloud environment, such as users, groups, and service accounts, are kept in one place via CIEM.
Attribute Mapping
In order to comprehend the context of access requests, attribute mapping links identities to the roles, departments, and job titles that are associated with them.
Governance of Entitlement
Policy Enforcement
Using the least privilege concept, CIEM enables you to create and implement detailed access control policies. This guarantees that systems and users only possess the permissions required to carry out their duties.
Risk assessment
By examining entitlements, CIEM finds possible threats like unused accounts, excessive permissions, and security policy infractions.
Automated Cleanup
Workflow Automation
CIEM can automate the process of removing unused access rights, such deleting user accounts that aren’t in use or modifying permissions that are too broad.
Remediation Actions
It can take proactive measures to mitigate risks that have been discovered, like automatically deprovisioning accounts or modifying permissions in accordance with preset guidelines.
Advanced Compliance and Analytics
Reporting and Dashboards
CIEM provides detailed data and dashboards on your company’s security, including entitlement, risk, and compliance trends.
Compliance Monitoring
By detecting and resolving any non-compliance concerns, it assists you in ensuring adherence to industry standards and laws, including HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR.
How Is CIEM Used?
CIEM is essential for cloud security and compliance. The following are some important CIEM use cases:
Applying the Least Privilege Principle:
Reduce the Risk
By ensuring that users and systems have the bare minimum of access required to carry out their tasks, CIEM assists organisations in putting the principle of least privilege into practice. Because attackers with less privileges are less able to do harm, this greatly lessens the possible impact of a security breach.
Simplified Requests for Access
CIEM expedites the process and guarantees that only authorised personnel obtain the required permissions by automating access requests and approvals.
Increasing Control and Visibility
A Centralised Perspective
You may get a thorough grasp of who has access to what in your cloud environment by using CIEM, which offers a centralised view of all access permissions.
Improved Auditing
It makes it simpler to spot and look into questionable activity by enabling thorough auditing and tracking of all access activities.
Automating the Management of Access
Minimise Manual Effort
CIEM automates a lot of manual access management operations, like assigning permissions, providing and deprovisioning accounts, and performing frequent access reviews.
Enhanced Productivity
By increasing productivity and lowering the possibility of human error, automation guarantees that access controls are implemented and upheld consistently.
Meeting Compliance Requirements:
Demonstrate Compliance
Through the provision of proof of suitable access controls and frequent audits, CIEM assists organisations in proving compliance with industry standards and laws, including HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR.
Determine Any Non-Compliance
To make sure your company stays in compliance, it can find and fix any non-compliance problems, such unused accounts or excessive permissions.
Lowering the Chance of Data Breach
Active Risk Reduction
CIEM can proactively detect and reduce possible risks, like insider threats and data exfiltration, by regularly monitoring and examining access patterns.
Enhanced Posture for Security
CIEM helps businesses strengthen their overall security posture and lower the risk of data breaches by automating security processes and putting in place robust access restrictions.
CIEM tools
In cloud contexts, CIEM (Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management) technologies are essential for managing and regulating access permissions. These are a few well-known CIEM tools:
Orca Safety
A complete platform for cloud security with strong CIEM capabilities. It identifies and ranks risks, gives detailed insight into entitlements, and automates corrective action.
Wiz
An additional all-inclusive cloud security platform with robust CIEM capabilities. In addition to its entitlement management features, it provides enhanced threat detection, vulnerability management, and compliance monitoring.
Ermetic
Delivers full CIEM capability, including entitlement identification, risk assessment, and remediation, with a particular focus on cloud security.
Netskope
A cloud security platform that incorporates CIEM capabilities into its larger feature set, which also includes threat protection and data loss prevention.
CloudKnox Protection:
A specialised CIEM solution that helps businesses implement the least privilege principle, automates access assessments, and offers comprehensive insight into cloud entitlements.