ID Management Takes A Leap Into Privacy Protection

Identity management is more than just granting and revoking user access to business systems. With the introduction of new auditing practices and regulations by the federal government, businesses are being held accountable for the security of their users' personal information. Identity management now needs to manage how personal information, such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers and salaries, is changed and distributed while also ensuring that the individual's privacy is protected.

In addition, if digital security is to truly move beyond a cost-center mentality, it needs to deliver time and cost savings by addressing the real source of IT security concerns. Password management, account data and data management issues account for about 50% of all help desk calls -- an attention-grabber in themselves. However, it's change requests to personal or profile information, which is unique to each individual, that require the most time, effort and money to manage.

Identity management -- the policies, processes and technologies that establish and maintain governance over the access, use and storage of personal information -- now takes an evolutionary step forward by managing the permission and the personal or profile-based information that directly affects compliance with legislation, auditing practices and return on investment.

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