In the ever-changing world of cybersecurity, where each twist brings new challenges, understanding the intricacies of contextual risk becomes not just a necessity, but the inception point to safeguarding your identity landscape.
Contextual risk is a dynamic and multifaceted element within identity and access management that's influenced by an organization's specific operational context. In simple terms, it's the ever-changing factors, from social and political environments to emerging cyber threats and the nuances of employees' locations and work schedules.
Why is including contextual risk necessary? Relying solely on inherent risk, an approach traditionally employed, is no longer sufficient in the complex landscape of cybersecurity. Inherent risk evaluates the potential damaging impacts in a given environment, ranging from security awareness gaps to unpatched applications. However, this method has its limitations. The cyber world's continuous evolution demands a more nuanced strategy. A comprehensive approach, encompassing both inherent and contextual risk, is vital to navigate the diverse and sophisticated challenges presented by the ever-evolving cyber world.
To gauge contextual risk effectively, it's essential to consider several key factors:
- Type of Systems and Data: Varied systems have distinct risk profiles, and the nature of data being accessed plays a critical role.
- Individual Roles: The function of the person seeking access is crucial in determining the associated risk.
- Time and Location of Access: When and where an access request occurs can provide valuable context for risk assessment.
- Purpose of Access: Understanding why access is requested helps in evaluating the associated risk.
- Previous Behavior: Past actions can be indicative of legitimacy, and anomalies may trigger additional security measures.
- Current Security Posture: The overall security status of the enterprise at the time of a request influences access decisions.
The combination of these contextual factors allows for a more precise risk assessment, enabling organizations to prioritize security measures based on the unique circumstances surrounding each access request. This not only enhances accuracy in risk evaluation but also ensures a more robust and adaptive security strategy tailored to the specific contextual intricacies of the cyber landscape.
To proactively tackle today's challenges, Clarity Security embraces an innovative strategy by integrating machine learning (ML) into identity governance. This approach offers heightened visibility into an organization's identity landscape by efficiently assessing contextual risk. ML adapts to the dynamic nature of contextual factors, providing rapid, accurate, and real-time risk assessments.
To delve into where identity governance stands today and understand how a risk-based approach can fortify your organization's security posture, we invite you to read our comprehensive white paper - Identity Governance and Administration Powered by Risk Context: Taking Access Control to the Next Level.
In the ever-evolving realm of cybersecurity, staying informed and adopting innovative approaches is key. Our white paper serves as a valuable resource to guide you through the intricacies of identity governance and ensure a robust security foundation for your organization's future.
