Improving secure user access and streamlining operations

A leading West Coast design school faced a growing challenge: their Identity and Access Management (IAM) program was struggling to keep pace with the evolving needs of their users and the institution. Frustrated by constant MFA prompts, manual processes, and operational inefficiencies, the school sought a solution that would streamline operations, enhance security, and improve the overall user experience. KeyData Cyber was engaged to help them achieve these goals and transform their IAM program.

Highlights

Challenge

This school's IAM program was frustrating their end users, who were fatigued by constant MFA prompts, manual onboarding and offboarding processes, operational inefficiencies from manual Active Directory (AD) group management, and complex mailbox provisioning scripts.

• Poor User Experience: Constant MFA prompts lead to user fatigue and increased non-compliance.
• Manual Onboarding/Offboarding: Our client's manual processes for on-boarding and off-boarding were too slow and led to delays in access.
• Inefficient Operations: Operational inefficiencies due to manual AD group management and complex scripts for handling MS Exchange access provisioning were bogging down our client's security teams.

Solution

We enhanced the client's IAM capabilities by addressing their core goals:

• Blueprint for the Future: We developed and delivered comprehensive IAM requirements and technical design documentation, providing a clear roadmap for a robust and secure IAM ecosystem.
• Adaptive Security: We enhanced the existing user login journey by incorporating contextual-based multi-factor authentication, ensuring security adapts dynamically to user behavior and risk levels.
• Seamless Integration with ERP: We integrated the ArtCenter ERP Extract SQL DB as the authoritative source for employee and student identity data. This involved:
• Designing and implementing onboarding (joiner) and offboarding (leaver) lifecycle workflows for both employees and students.
• Mapping ERP roles to AD groups based on established ArtCenter rules, ensuring access aligns with organizational structure.
• Automating AD user account and Exchange Mailbox provisioning as part of the onboarding process.
• Conducting thorough unit testing and providing post-production implementation support to guarantee a smooth transition.
• Empowering the client's team with comprehensive knowledge transfer to ensure long-term success.

Outcomes

We helped this client upgrade their IAM program with improvements to the user lifecycle that simplified access and administration.

• Streamlined User Lifecycles: We improved operational efficiencies through automated AD user lifecycle and group management.
• Improved User Experience: We streamlined user experience with integrated contextual-based MFA, increasing compliance with data security policies.
• Enhanced Integrations: We integrated ERP with identity solutions for seamless data transfer and security.
• Tested Performance: We performed unit testing to identify and correct deficiencies.

By implementing a comprehensive IAM strategy, KeyData Cyber empowered the design school to overcome its challenges and achieve significant improvements in efficiency, security, and user satisfaction. Through streamlined user lifecycles, adaptive security measures, and seamless ERP integration, we helped them create a more user-friendly and secure environment. With a modernized IAM framework in place, the school is now well-equipped to support its dynamic user base and ensure smooth, secure access to critical resources.

Ready to transform your institution's IAM program and achieve similar results? Contact KeyData Cyber today to begin your journey towards a more efficient and secure digital environment.