Authentication and access control - Secure your systems with a Zero Trust approach

IAM (Identity & Access Management) and PAM (Privileged Access Management) are two complementary pillars of cybersecurity.

• IAM concerns the global management of identities and rights for all "classic" users (employees, subcontractors, partners). It enables accounts to be created, modified and deleted, access to be assigned according to roles, and mechanisms such as SSO (Single Sign-On) and MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) to be applied. The aim is to ensure that everyone has access only to the resources they need to work, and to limit excessive rights.
• PAM, on the other hand, focuses solely on privileged accounts (system administrators, databases, servers). As these accounts are highly powerful, they represent a major target for cyber-attacks. PAM relies on tools such as the Administration Bastion, just-in-time access, automatic password rotation and logging of sensitive sessions.

IAM protects and organizes all identities, while PAM specifically reinforces the security of critical accounts. The two combined offer comprehensive coverage, and are often required as part of compliance initiatives (ISO 27001, NIS2).

Yes, MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) is one of the most effective measures for blocking cyberattacks based on stolen credentials. According to Microsoft, it prevents over 99% of intrusions linked to compromised passwords.

In concrete terms, even if a user mistakenly communicates his or her password during a phishing attack, the attacker will not be able to log in without providing the second factor (code sent on mobile, authentication application, biometric fingerprint, security key).

MFA is a powerful risk mitigator, but it should not be used on its own. It is recommended to combine it with measures such as conditional access and employee awareness, as some advanced scenarios (real-time phishing with malicious proxies) may attempt to bypass this protection.

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The Zero Trust concept is based on a simple principle: "never trust, always verify". Unlike traditional approaches, which consider a user connected from the internal network to be reliable, Zero Trust requires systematic validation of every access attempt, whether it comes from inside or outside.

Applied to authentication, Zero Trust means that identity, device used, context (location, network, connection time) and risk level are checked before access is authorized. This makes it possible, for example, to automatically block a suspicious connection from an unusual country or a non-compliant device.

This approach has become essential with telecommuting, BYOD and massive use of the cloud. It drastically reduces the risks of compromise linked to uncontrolled access, and is a key requirement of the NIS2 directive.

SSO (Single Sign-On) simplifies life for users, enabling them to access all their applications with a single identity. But some wonder whether this centralization creates a point of vulnerability.

Properly configured, SSO is, on the contrary, a major improvement in security. By reducing the number of passwords, it limits the reuse of weak identifiers and the use of insecure post-it notes or personal managers. Combined with standard protocols (SAML, OAuth, OpenID Connect) and a mandatory MFA, it provides robust protection.

What's more, SSO facilitates access management: when an employee leaves the company, simply deactivating their main account cuts off access to all applications. This considerably reduces the risks associated with dormant accounts.

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Telecommuting exposes employees to less secure environments: vulnerable home Wi-Fi, personal computers used for BYOD, connections from public places. These scenarios open many doors to cybercriminals.

To secure them, several layers of protection must be put in place:

• Use encrypted VPNs to protect communications.
• Application of MFA for all remote accesses.
• Implement conditional access policies (e.g. blocking if the device is not compliant or if the connection comes from a high-risk area).
• Deployment of EDR/XDR solutions to protect terminals against malware.

With this approach, even if an employee logs on from a risky environment, your systems remain protected by several layers of security

An authentication and access control audit is a key step in strengthening security and compliance. It enables you to :

• Identify inactive or unused accounts that represent a potential vulnerability.
• Detect excessive rights in relation to users' real needs.
• Highlight anomalies (unusual connections, suspicious access attempts).
• Provide useful reports for regulatory controls (RGPD, ISO 27001, NIS2).

A well-conducted audit leads to a concrete action plan: deleting dormant accounts, reallocating rights, tightening login rules. This is an essential lever for reducing the attack surface and demonstrating to your partners and customers that your accesses are under control.

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