Instrumenting Multi-Cloud Identities - A Strategic Approach to Access Management

Janifha Evangeline, Assistant Editor, CIOTechOutlook | Wednesday, 23 October 2024, 14:32 IST

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Today, the way organizations approach IT infrastructure has transformed significantly owing to the evolution of cloud computing. In this article let us look at the focus on the shift towards SaaS. In the beginning, cloud computing gained traction with IaaS. Here the providers provided basic infrastructure that helped businesses to rent servers as well as storage. Over time, this transformed or evolved into PaaS. PaaS enabled developers in building applications on a managed platform. Thus, today organizations are adopting SaaS as it facilitates businesses to use software application that are delivered over the internet, as it helps in reducing the requirement for internal infrastructure.

Today, a report was released by Cyberark which was developed with the Data Security Council of India. Titled, “Orchestrating Multi-Cloud Identities – A Unified Approach to Access Management”, the report was launched during the annual flagship event of Cyberark in Mumbai, - the Impact World Tour 2024. The aim of this report is to highlight how SaaS solutions render significant security benefits and when implemented properly it can help organizations to improve their cybersecurity posture while managing complex IT environments.

Vinayak Godse, CEO, Data Security Council of India said, “Over the past two decades, the cloud revolution has fundamentally transformed the digital landscape, with its momentum continuing to accelerate. As organisations increasingly embrace it, advanced SaaS solutions are emerging as key enablers, providing remarkable flexibility to meet diverse security needs. Also, SaaS platforms can be centrally managed for identity and access management across multi-cloud environments. They support seamless multi-cloud strategies, empowering organisations to maintain a unified and robust security posture across various cloud environments.”

Some of the important industries in India which include financial services, healthcare as well as government are the prime target for cyberattacks. This is owing to their valuable assets. Several enterprises in these highly regulated sectors still depend on the legacy systems which lack modern identity security capabilities. This leaves these systems exposed to identity-based threats. Although the companies in our country are leveraging cloud services, the uptake is still slow. By 2026, sixty percent of global banks are anticipated to adopt SaaS platforms that could decrease operational costs by thirty percent. However, the progress is slow owing to security & regulatory concerns.

By 2027, the SaaS market in the healthcare as well as pharmaceutical industry in India is anticipated to reach USD 42.13 billion. However, one of the main reasons to hinder the growth of this is the challenges that revolve around data privacy & legacy system integrations. Also, SaaS adoption in manufacturing and Logisitics in India is growing at 15 percent yearly. This is bolstered by its potential to enhance supply chain management as well as the operational efficiency, however, the overall adoption is still slow.

SaaS can render numerous and significant benefits which help enterprises in enhancing their cybersecurity posture. It has the ability of centralizing identity and access management via Single Sign On (SSO). And this helps in decreasing password fatigue, simplifying the login process as well as lowering the risk of phishing attacks through minimizing credential use. In order to monitor as well as respond to potential threats in real-time that enables swift action prior to the occurrence of the breaches.

Also, another key challenge for companies is the 97-day delay in applying critical security patches. SaaS providers address the vulnerabilities within days or hours typically, rendering faster protection against emerging threats. These solutions also provide scalable security expertise which most of the smaller or niche companies cannot provide. This includes the reduction of cost as well as resource burden of advanced cybersecurity. Also, SaaS providers provide end-to-end encryption for data in transit as well as at rest coupled with data residency controls for ensuring compliance with local regulatory requirements.

Advanced and emerging technologies like Blockchain, AI, quantum-safe cryptography and edge- computing further promise to improve the security as well as the efficiency of SaaS identity management. Companies which stay abreast of these trends and continuously adapt their security strategies are well positioned for leveraging the complete potential of SaaS while mitigating risks.

Rohan Vaidya, Area Vice President, India & SAARC, CyberArk, said, "Contrary to common misconceptions, properly implemented SaaS solutions provide significant security benefits that can help organisations enhance their protection while managing complex IT environments. The key to successful SaaS integration lies in thoughtful implementation, choosing the right SaaS partners, and maintaining a proactive stance on security and compliance.”

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