If you are still provisioning new employees manually then this blog is for you.
New employees are often eager to prove themselves, but this eagerness can turn into desperation and stress if their companies do not provide access to digital assets promptly. When new employees start, their drive to prove themselves makes them efficient and productive. However, this excitement disappears when they have to wait to access digital resources. It often happens when companies use manual provisioning methods for new employees or de-provisioning for older ones.
As discussed in the Identity Threat Exposure (ITDR) blog, abandoned identities can be an easy target for cybercriminals. It often occurs when companies do not close or alter unused IDs properly. Hackers can exploit these abandoned IDs to access digital assets, steal credit card information, impersonate employees, or deploy ransomware.
Yet, many organizations still rely on manual user provisioning and de-provisioning processes. They often need to be made aware of this approach’s hidden risks. In this blog post, we will explore:
- What provisioning and de-provisioning are
- the differences between manual and automated methods
- The risks associated with manual processes and how to mitigate these risks effectively.
Understanding Provisioning and De-Provisioning
Provisioning is a process to create user accounts and grants access to resources, applications, and data throughout an organization.
User Provision typically involves creating usernames, passwords, and permissions for users to perform their daily job functions.
De-provisioning involves disabling access after users leave a company or no longer need specific permissions. It involves disabling or deleting the user’s account and revoking access to sensitive information and systems.
Manual vs. Automated Provisioning and De-Provisioning
Manual Provisioning and De-Provisioning
Provisioning new employees manually is quite common in small companies. The IT staff or administrators manually create, update, and delete user accounts; they attend to all processes involved, from inputting user details to assigning roles and ensuring that access has been correspondingly granted or revoked.
Automated Provisioning and De-Provisioning
Unlike small organizations, provisioning new employees manually is not practiced in bigger companies. They use security applications to manage user accounts. These automation tools are linked with human resource systems, directories, and applications and function to create, update, and delete user accounts according to predefined rules and workflows.
The Hidden Risks of Manual Provisioning and De-Provisioning
Some small companies do not understand that provisioning new employees manually may hurt their business in the long term because it exposes them to several security risks, and the same happens in the case of de-provisioning.
- Human Error: We all know manual tasks are prone to mistakes. There can be typing errors, missed steps, or incorrect data entry, all of which may mean improper access rights that expose sensitive data or disrupt workflows.
- Delayed Access: Manual provisioning of access takes time—especially when a company inducts a batch of employees at once. It can cause delays in access for new employees or revocation of access for departing ones. These delays can result in lost productivity and potential security breaches.
- Inconsistent Application: With a manual process, different administrators might apply policies differently, which can lead to unequal access controls. This inconsistency can create security gaps and compliance issues.
- Increased Workload: Manual processes are time-consuming and labor-intensive. IT staff need to spend significant time managing user accounts, which eats up their time and resources and diverts their focus from more strategic initiatives.
- Audit and Compliance Challenges: Manual provisioning actions can be difficult to track and document, complicating audits and compliance reporting. A lack of clear documentation can result in fines from regulatory agencies and damage to the company’s reputation.
Risks Mitigated by Automated Solutions
Organizations should consider adopting automated provisioning and de-provisioning solutions to address these risks. Here is how automation can help:
- Reduce Errors: Automation ensures that user data is accurately and consistently processed while minimizing the risk of human error.
- Speed and Efficiency: Automated workflows speed up the provisioning and de-provisioning processes, reducing delays and improving overall efficiency.
- Uniform Policy Enforcement: Automation ensures that user management policy is uniformly applied across all user accounts to provide consistent access controls and enhanced security.
- Free Up Resources: Automation of routine tasks allows IT to focus on more strategic projects that add value to the organization.
- Enhanced Compliance: Automated systems provide detailed logs and reports by making audits simple while keeping your organization compliant with regulatory requirements.
D3C Consulting — Partner in Seamless Automation
At D3C Consulting, we are experts in transitioning from manual to automated user provisioning and de-provisioning. With expert implementation by our professionals, we ensure that customized automation solutions result in seamless and safe access control for your business needs.
Is it time to eliminate the risks of manual provisioning and de-provisioning? Contact D3C Consulting today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help take your organization to the next level of security and productivity.