What are the most effective ways to secure user accounts in your IT systems?

MFA is an extra layer of security in which a user requires at least two forms of identification before granting access. MFA is a regulatory requirement in most of the organisations nowadays so as to ensure the security of sensitive data, especially in sectors like healthcare and finance.

For me first thing is to identify you can't protect what you don't know. Then once you have an enumeration of accounts then you get into the weeds of types of account - personal vs non personal accounts ( shared, generic , service) . Then the standard RBAC, least privilege, MFA, extra security layer for privileged accounts n non personal accounts such as PAM and robust logging n auditing. Apart from that sod,user access reviews etc will ensure effective iam for these accounts.

Having good security controls and implementing Privileged access management solution for securing most privileged accounts of the infrastructure. Education and proper guidance to end users along with 24/7 network monitoring systems.

I support the MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) system where the user is in control of their logins and also aware if any attempt/s are being made to impersonate him/her.

Using Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) can be helpful in implementing RBAC. Combined with the use of granular delegated access privileges (GDAP) to access and administer tasks on the workstation.

Privilege access management solutions can help, but may be cost prohibitive to purchase or implement in some settings. As a minimum, ensure any system roles are aligned to business need, adopt least privilege and adhere to good change management.

Least-privilege: Users should only have the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks. This reduces the risk of exposing sensitive data or compromising system security. - Define clear roles and responsibilities for each user group - Assign appropriate permissions and privileges to each role - Review and audit user access regularly - Remove or revoke access when no longer needed - Make sure credentials are never shared or re-used

Implementing least privilege management is a crucial security practice that restricts user and process access to the minimum level required for their specific roles and tasks. This strategy offers numerous benefits, including reducing the attack surface, mitigating insider threats, preventing lateral movement by attackers, and enhancing overall security. It also aids in compliance with regulatory requirements, provides granular control over permissions, simplifies auditing and accountability, and facilitates the efficient management of permissions. Least privilege management not only reduces the impact of vulnerabilities but also streamlines incident response and resource allocation.

Moving to a Zero-Trust culture: - Enhanced security posture: By eliminating implicit trust and enforcing granular access policies, organizations can prevent attackers from exploiting vulnerabilities and moving laterally within the network. - Improved compliance: By applying the principle of least privilege, organizations can meet the regulatory requirements for data protection and privacy, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. - Reduced complexity: By simplifying the access management process and reducing the number of privileged accounts, organizations can lower the operational costs and improve the user experience.

For me, educating users is the most important step. Why? Because they are the ones, logging in and in charge of that system while they use it. Educate them on why it is important to have a complex password even when it feels inconvenient at times, lock the PC even if it is for a short period of time, don't share passwords, don't hide a sticky note under the keyboard with passwords, etc.

Definitely I would align my policies and start with users. Provide ongoing user training to keep them informed about security threats and best practices. Quarterly security awareness online training refreshes employee memories. Empowering knowledge and reiteration helps safeguard cybersecurity.

Provide training to users on how to protect their accounts and IT systems from cyber threats. Users are often the weakest link in the security chain, as they may fall victim to phishing, social engineering or malware attacks. - Provide regular security awareness training to users - Educate users on how to create and manage strong passwords and use password managers and MFA. - Inform users on how to identify and report suspicious activities or incidents - Encourage users to follow security best practices and policies - Continous education on emerging social engineering trends and threats.

In my experience the most effective method is to set up a proper single source of truth where all user accounts are created from programmatically. This should be an HR system that creates and removes accounts as the users are onboarded and off-boarded. For platforms that can’t be tied via SCIM provisioning to the source of truth they should at least have SSO tied to your identity provider, so that access to the account gets deactivated when the user gets off-boarded

Implementing a robust framework for managing and updating user accounts is crucial for maintaining the security and efficiency of IT systems. This practice not only enhances access control and compliance but also reduces security risks, improves resource allocation, and streamlines administrative processes. Regularly reviewing and verifying user accounts ensures that they remain valid and authorized while removing or disabling unused, expired, or suspicious accounts helps prevent potential security breaches. In essence, this framework is a cornerstone of effective user account management, safeguarding sensitive data and promoting a strong security culture within the organization.

RBAC with MFA and access through a PAM solution for privileged accounts with log monitoring using a centralised solution and periodic review of roles assigned.

To Secure user Accounts Implement RBAC Account. Deploy Single sign On with log events. Implement MFA Deploy Security Awarness training for users Suggrigate user accounts from Service accounts Deploy least privilege for users always

In my opinion, it is best to keep standard and privileged user accounts distinct and to set up controls accordingly. There are also numerous security controls such as MFA, password complexity, password length, password rotation, account lockout, RBAC and so on. However, it is critical to determine the appropriate amount of security measures so that IT operations, efficiency, and productivity are not jeopardized.

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