Ananthasayanam Nallan Chakravarthy, Author at Akku

The Most Important Trends in Cybersecurity for 2025

As digital transformation accelerates across every sector, cybersecurity has become a cornerstone of organizational resilience. The stakes are higher than ever, with cyberattacks growing in volume, complexity, and impact. Navigating the evolving landscape requires a deep understanding of the latest trends in cybersecurity and the strategic foresight to act on them.

This blog delivers a comprehensive overview of cybersecurity in 2025, detailing the emerging threats, technological advancements, and industry shifts that are shaping the future. From identity management to quantum computing and Zero Trust architectures, we explore where cybersecurity is heading – and how platforms like Akku are helping organizations stay ahead of the curve.

Overview of Cyber Security: The Backbone of Digital Trust

Cybersecurity refers to the practices, technologies, and frameworks used to protect digital systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access and cyberattacks. It is no longer a back-office function, but a strategic pillar of business continuity, compliance, and brand reputation.

Organizations today must contend with a growing range of cybersecurity problems: from data breaches and ransomware attacks to insider threats and compliance failures. As digital services proliferate, the security threats in cybersecurity have moved from isolated attacks to sophisticated, persistent campaigns.

Cybersecurity is, at its core, about trust-trust that data is protected, systems are resilient, and access is managed securely. This trust must now be earned and maintained in a rapidly changing digital environment.

Navigating the Evolving Cyber Threat Landscape

Threat actors are constantly innovating, using everything from artificial intelligence to supply chain manipulation to breach defences. Meanwhile, businesses are moving towards hybrid work models, cloud-native operations, and IoT expansion – all of which expand the attack surface.

Key shifts in the threat landscape include:

Increase in ransomware and double-extortion attacks
Growth of AI-powered malware and automated threats
Sophisticated phishing and social engineering campaigns
Weaponization of third-party vulnerabilities

Security teams must adapt with agility, moving from reactive defence to proactive threat anticipation and continuous monitoring. This shift is driving the adoption of new technologies and frameworks outlined below.

Latest Trends in Cyber Security

Trend 1: Cloud Security and Identity Management

As cloud adoption becomes universal, managing identity and access in cloud environments is paramount. Misconfigured access rights and unauthorized app usage are among the most common root causes of cloud breaches.

Akku plays a vital role here, offering a unified Identity and Access Management (IAM) platform that allows businesses to:

Enforce strong password and multi-factor authentication policies
Control user access to cloud applications from a centralized dashboard
Implement context-aware policies (IP, device, location)
Gain visibility into authentication attempts and access patterns

Akku ensures that cloud environments remain secure, compliant, and tightly controlled – even as your workforce scales or decentralizes.

Trend 2: AI-Driven Cybersecurity and AI-Powered Attacks

Artificial Intelligence is now a double-edged sword in cybersecurity. On one hand, AI helps defenders detect threats faster through behavioral analytics, anomaly detection, and predictive models. On the other hand, attackers use AI to craft sophisticated, adaptive attacks that are harder to trace.

In 2025, AI will be central to:

Automating threat detection and response
Identifying complex attack patterns in real-time
Enhancing user authentication through behavioural biometrics

But the rise of AI-powered malware, deepfake-based phishing, and autonomous botnets will also test the limits of traditional defences.

Trend 3: Zero Trust Architecture Adoption

The old model of securing the perimeter no longer works. With users accessing systems from anywhere, at any time, the Zero Trust model, which verifies every user and device continuously, is becoming the new gold standard.

Core Zero Trust principles include:

Trust no one by default, inside or outside the network
Authenticate and authorize continuously
Enforce least privilege access
Monitor all activity and assume a breach

Organizations implementing Zero Trust architectures gain greater control over their environments and reduce exposure to internal and external threats.

Trend 4: Quantum Computing Threats and Post-Quantum Cryptography

Quantum computing, while not yet mainstream, poses a looming threat to current encryption standards. Algorithms that are secure today may be rendered obsolete by quantum capabilities in the near future.

2025 is the year organizations begin to prepare for this shift by:

Understanding quantum risks to existing cryptography
Exploring post-quantum cryptographic algorithms
Identifying assets that require long-term confidentiality

Cyber resilience will increasingly depend on quantum preparedness.

Trend 5: Rise of Ransomware and Double/Multifaceted Extortion

Ransomware has evolved beyond data encryption. Today’s attackers also threaten to leak or auction stolen data, target backups, and repeatedly extort organizations.

To combat this:

Backup strategies must be tested and isolated
Incident response plans must include reputational recovery
User awareness and phishing defence must be constant priorities

The stakes of ransomware are no longer just financial – they’re existential.

Trend 6: Securing 5G Networks and IoT Expansion

5G’s high-speed connectivity is enabling billions of new IoT devices – from smart homes to industrial sensors. Each device becomes a potential entry point if not properly secured.

The focus in 2025 will be on:

Device identity and lifecycle management
Network segmentation and zero trust for IoT
Endpoint protection at scale

Without security embedded into 5G and IoT ecosystems, attackers will exploit them as low-hanging fruit.

Trend 7: Supply Chain and Third-Party Risk

As businesses outsource more services, their attack surface becomes more complex. A compromise with a third-party vendor can cascade across multiple connected systems.

Risk mitigation in this area includes:

Continuous third-party risk assessments
Contractual security requirements
Real-time monitoring of vendor access and activity

Trust must be verified continuously – even in trusted partnerships.

Trend 8: Increase in Regulatory Requirements and Compliance

Regulators across the globe are tightening cybersecurity requirements. From India’s CERT-In directives to global frameworks like GDPR and NIS2, compliance is now a board-level concern.

Organizations must:

Monitor and interpret regional laws continuously
Implement controls that meet cross-border data protection standards
Maintain auditable records and incident response workflows

Staying compliant isn’t just about avoiding penalties – it’s a critical signal of accountability and trust.

Future of Cyber Security in India

India is emerging as both a technology powerhouse and a prime target for cyberattacks. With digital initiatives like Smart Cities, UPI, and Aadhaar, the scale of digital infrastructure – and its vulnerabilities – is unprecedented.

The future of cybersecurity in India will be shaped by:

Growing emphasis on data localization and digital sovereignty
Cybersecurity skill development and public-private partnerships
Adoption of advanced IAM solutions to protect cloud-first organizations

As India tightens its regulatory landscape and scales its tech ecosystem, cybersecurity will remain at the center of digital growth.

Akku: The IAM Solution for Evolving Cybersecurity Threats

Against the backdrop of rapidly evolving cybersecurity trends, organizations need solutions that are flexible, cloud-ready, and policy-driven.

Akku offers a comprehensive Identity and Access Management platform that addresses multiple vectors of modern cyber risk:

Secure access to cloud and on-prem applications
Enforced MFA, adaptive access, and device restrictions
Browser-level security, DNS filtering, and GPO-like controls
Centralized dashboards for visibility and compliance

Whether you’re pursuing Zero Trust, securing a remote workforce, or aiming for regulatory compliance, Akku enables you to take control without complexity.

Stay ahead of tomorrow’s threats. Explore how Akku can safeguard your digital future.

Identity and Access Management vs. Traditional Authentication: Why Do Businesses Need an Upgrade?

Not long ago, a username and password were all it took to access a system. It was simple, and for a while, it worked. But then, users multiplied. Devices diversified. Remote work became the rule, not the exception. Suddenly, what once felt secure began to show cracks.

Every login became a potential risk. Every access point is a new vulnerability. The old methods of authentication struggled to keep up. That shift didn’t happen overnight. It crept in slowly, reshaping how businesses think about security.

To keep pace with this new reality, companies are turning to a smarter, more adaptive approach: Identity and Access Management (IAM).

Why Authentication Needs an Upgrade in the Modern Digital Era

What is traditional authentication?

At its simplest, traditional authentication is the digital version of asking for your name at the door. A password gets you in. It does not ask who you are, where you’re coming from, or why you’re here. It just opens the gate. That simplicity is also its fatal flaw.

Passwords are predictable. They can be stolen, guessed, or leaked. Phishing emails work. So do credential stuffing attacks. In this world, a username and password simply don’t measure up.

What is IAM? (What is Identity and Access Management?)

Identity and Access Management, or IAM, is the modern solution to a world that no longer trusts the front door alone. It does more than just let people in. It watches. It checks. It asks, every time, “Are you really who you say you are?”

IAM is not a tool. It is a framework. It combines multi-factor authentication, role-based access, single sign-on, and real-time monitoring. It’s the security guard, the camera system, and the access control system working together.

Put simply, what is IAM? It is the future of trust in the enterprise.

Limitations of Traditional Authentication Systems

Password Vulnerabilities and Breach Risks

Weak passwords are not just a user problem. They are a system failure. And breaches have taught us this repeatedly. According to multiple studies, over 80% of breaches involve lost or stolen credentials. Traditional identity and access solutions cannot keep up.

Inadequate Role-Based Access Controls

In many companies, the intern has the same access as the CTO. Not because it makes sense. But because the system was never designed for nuance. Without proper role-based access, one mistake can open the floodgates.

Lack of Real-Time Access Monitoring

You wouldn’t leave your office building unwatched overnight. So why leave your digital infrastructure without real-time access monitoring? Traditional systems do not detect threats as they happen. They respond only after damage is done.

Difficulty in Enforcing Compliance and Auditing

Industries face tight compliance rules such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX. Meeting them means knowing exactly who accessed what, when, and why. With manual logs and outdated protocols, traditional systems struggle. IAM solutions make audits easier and cleaner.

High IT Workload and Maintenance Overhead

Managing access manually creates bottlenecks. IT teams spend hours resetting passwords, creating user profiles, and removing inactive accounts. It’s not just inefficient. It’s dangerous. IAM technology automates these tasks and reduces human error.

Why Identity and Access Management (IAM) Is the Future of Business Security

Centralized Identity Governance for Better Control

The power of Identity and Access Management IAM lies in centralization. One console. One dashboard. One place to control user access across all apps, platforms, and devices. This not only reduces chaos, it reduces risk.

IAM for Remote Work and BYOD Environments

The shift to hybrid work is permanent. Laptops, tablets, and personal phones – these are now gateways to company data. IAM solutions support BYOD while maintaining a secure perimeter. They balance freedom with oversight.

Streamlined Compliance with Regulatory Requirements

Every regulator wants the same thing: accountability. IAM makes it simple. Logs, reports, and access histories are all automated and available. Companies using identity and access management solutions are ready for audits at any time.

IAM’s Role in Enabling Zero Trust Security Models

Zero Trust is not a buzzword. It’s a necessity. In this model, every request is a potential threat. IAM technology becomes the gatekeeper. It checks not just credentials but context. Location. Device. Behavior. Only then is access granted.

Reducing IT Workload with Self-Service Portals

A forgotten password should not trigger a help desk ticket. IAM enables self-service. Employees can reset credentials, request access, and manage profiles on their own. IT can focus on strategy instead of support.

Identity and Access Management Future Scope

The evolution is just beginning. The identity and access management future scope is shaped by emerging tech:

Biometrics will replace passwords entirely
AI and machine learning will detect anomalies in real time
Decentralized identity will give users more control over their data
Cloud-native IAM will support infinite scalability

As the digital world expands, IAM solutions will become smarter, more adaptive, and more invisible, quietly guarding access without slowing anyone down.

Partner with AKKU for Future-Ready Identity and Access Management Solutions

Akku is not just another vendor. It is a trusted partner in the IAM journey. With advanced features like SSO, MFA, access analytics, and user lifecycle management, Akku helps businesses move from outdated authentication to modern security.

Whether you are building a zero-trust architecture or simplifying compliance, Akku identity and access management solutions offer both power and elegance. For companies ready to evolve, Akku is the next step.

The Vital Role of IAM in the Top 5 Cybersecurity Trends for 2025

With more cyber threats emerging on a daily basis, the world of cybersecurity needs to evolve fast to suit. As we enter 2025, here are the top trends shaping the industry, and how IAMs impact each.

1. AI-Driven Cybersecurity

AI is set to revolutionize cybersecurity because it can detect threats in real time. Analyzing huge amounts of data in a split second, AI-based systems can identify anomalies and predict probable risks. They take proactive measures to safeguard digital environments.

Since AI is always learning from new threats, its ability to counter sophisticated cyberattacks is also constantly improving.

Akku MFA uses AI-driven anomaly detection and step-up authentication to deliver adaptive authentication. This achieves the right balance between security and ease of access.

2. Zero Trust Security

Zero Trust Architecture removes implicit trust from access authentication. Users and devices should not be granted access privileges by default. Instead, a policy of minimum access privilege should be followed.

Strong IAMs are built on a foundation of Zero Trust principles. Strict access controls are laid down and followed automatically. These rules could be based on user identity, role or context.

You can maintain tight control over access permissions to move towards a zero trust security strategy with Akku User Lifecycle Manager. This is enforced through granular access controls, continuous authentication, and automated access deprovisioning.

3. Passwordless Authentication

Biometric systems and other authentication methods are replacing traditional passwords, improving security and user experience alike by reducing dependency on weak or reused passwords.

Advanced IAM solutions like Akku Password Manager and Akku MFA enable passwordless authentication for seamless and efficient user access.

By removing password vulnerabilities, businesses reduce risks like phishing and credential theft. Akku supports passwordless login, streamlines security, and helps organizations meet 2025’s cybersecurity demands more effectively.

4. Stricter Data Privacy Regulations

With increasing regulatory scrutiny, organizations must adopt stronger security measures. IAM solutions are essential for ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations.

Akku Access Manager enforces policies to prevent unauthorized access and maintains detailed audit logs for reporting.

It does so by letting you apply access restrictions based on IP address, device, location, and time of access. Akku helps businesses stay compliant while strengthening data protection in a rapidly evolving landscape.

5. Critical Infrastructure Security

Essential services like energy and healthcare are prime targets for cyberattacks. IAM solutions help protect these industries by enforcing strict controls and monitoring system access.

Akku SSO & IdP, Akku Access Manager and Akku MFA lay down privilege guidelines and ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive systems, minimizing the risk of both insider and external threats.

Akku Cloud Directory, Password Manager, and User Lifecycle Manager enable organizations in these critical industries to secure their user identities and streamline access management, providing comprehensive essential infrastructure security.

By investing in the latest IAM technology, organizations can easily cope with the challenges of 2025 and safeguard their valuable assets. Reach out to our team to learn more about the cybersecurity trends for 2025 and how Akku can help you address these new challenges and opportunities.

The urgent need for Identity & Access Management at Universities and Educational Institutions

Cyber threats can affect any educational setting, from elementary schools to universities, whether online or brick-and-mortar. Limited resources, budget constraints, outdated software, and inadequate security systems, cause some of the biggest risks.

Education ranks as the fifth most targeted industry for security breaches in the United States, with more than 1600 publicly disclosed cyberattacks on schools between 2016 and 2022. Just last year, a security lapse in India’s Education Ministry app, Diksha, exposed millions of students’ and teachers’ personally identifying information due to an unprotected cloud server storing the data.

With the increasing adoption of technology in education, and even more so after the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for Identity & Access Management (IAM) systems is now vital for security and productivity at educational institutions.

But first, what are the unique challenges in IAM for educational institutions?

Diverse user base

Educational institutions cater to a diverse range of users including students, faculty, staff, administrators, and sometimes even external collaborators. Managing identities and access rights for such a diverse user base can be complex.

Outdated IT systems

Limited IT budgets result in legacy systems that are challenging to maintain, costly to fix, and may lack effective customer service. They also pose security risks due to outdated infrastructure. Users with multiple roles face challenges as each role is treated as a separate ID, leading to multiple credentials and fragmented access.

Remote learning

The rise of remote learning and the prevalence of BYOD or Bring Your Own Device policies have introduced additional difficulties in managing identities and securing access to resources. Educational institutions must ensure secure access to resources from any location and on any device while maintaining data privacy and security.

Data breach risks

Educational institutions handle large amounts of personal and sensitive information, including academic records, personal information, and research data making them prime targets for data breaches. Maintaining data security is essential for building trust and preventing breaches or leaks.

Changing user roles

Colleges and universities frequently onboard and offboard thousands of new users or new students each semester, each of whom require access to university resources before arriving on campus. Also, access for graduating students needs to be disabled promptly. Also, colleges handle transient users on a massive scale, including students taking semesters off and contingent faculty.

Manual provisioning and de-provisioning

Manual provisioning and de-provisioning of user access leads to high costs, security threats, and help desk overload. Manual authorization workflows for user access are prone to delays, mistakes, and compliance/security concerns. IT staff are responsible for frequently authorizing access requests, leading to inefficiencies. Also, there is a lack of auditing.

No integration with cloud-based platforms

Educational institutions face challenges integrating IAM systems with cloud-based platforms. The absence of dedicated IT help desk teams results in an increased workload for IT staff to resolve password and account unlock requests.

How can IAM address these challenges?

Centralized management and access

IAM solutions provide a centralized platform for managing user identities, authentication, and authorization. This helps to streamline user provisioning, de-provisioning, and access management across the institution, reducing administrative overhead.

For users too, with a single sign-on provided by an IAM platform, all applications are brought onto a single platform. This eliminates the hassle of multiple passwords and logins and makes the login process fast and effortless.

Automated provisioning and de-provisioning

A comprehensive IAM solution like Akku automates the process of provisioning and de-provisioning user accounts based on predefined rules and policies.

This ensures users have timely access to resources they need and access is revoked promptly upon role changes or departure from an institution, reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Also, IAM solutions implement role-based access. This granular control ensures users have access only to resources necessary for their job functions.

Learn-from-anywhere security

IAM solutions often go beyond user permissions to access applications. For example, Akku offers extensive access management features that let you permit access to your institution’s resources only from specific whitelisted network IP addresses, or only from whitelisted devices.

Suspicious login attempts can also be identified and flagged when a user attempts to log in from an unfamiliar location or at an unexpected time.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Many IAM solutions offer MFA capabilities, adding an extra layer of security beyond passwords. By requiring users to authenticate using multiple factors such as passwords, biometrics, or one-time codes, MFA helps prevent unauthorized access even if credentials are compromised.

Akku makes implementation of MFA effortless and cost-effective with a range of authentication factors to choose from, including passwordless authentication.

Integration with LMS and other education-specific platforms

IAM solutions integrate with LMS platforms and other applications used in educational settings, which allows for single sign-on (SSO) capabilities, enabling users to access multiple resources with a single set of credentials, thereby enhancing user experience and productivity.

With Akku, the process of integration is effortless with plug-and-play connectors to over 500 popular applications.

Auditing and compliance reporting

An end-to-end IAM solution like Akku provides robust auditing and reporting capabilities, allowing institutions to monitor user activity, track access privileges, and generate compliance reports. Akku’s Smart Analytics dashboard provides clear visibility across the institution’s users as well as intelligent insights on unused application licenses, provisioned user access, and more.

IAM solutions can help educational institutions improve security, streamline administrative processes, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, enabling a safer learning environment for students and staff. Akku’s IAM solutions are tailored to meet these unique challenges, so reach out to us today so we can help you stay secure.

Security isn’t a one-time investment: 3 key areas where most organizations fail

Your management team says that the time has come to invest in your organization’s cybersecurity. Your operations team agrees and says they are committed to security. Your IT team says that an IAM would help to secure your data and application, and identifies customizable IAM solutions, such as Akku, for investment.

So far, so good. But does that complete the job from your team’s end?

Even if your organization’s management and users believe that they are totally committed to improving cybersecurity, many of our recent IAM implementations have brought up some interesting issues of organization productivity.

Low priority on training

Many corporates believe that their employees – young, apparently tech-savvy, living in metropolitan areas – are sufficiently aware of all necessary cybersecurity measures. They believe that their teams are equipped to set up strong passwords, manage their own multi-factor authentication, avoid phishing attacks and browse through only secure web pages.

Some businesses, especially very large enterprises, do understand that cybersecurity training is necessary. However, others (regardless of size) often don’t feel it’s important for workers to take time out from their regular routines to focus on security. This is a prioritization issue, not one of budgets or resources. It can result in a number of security issues, including in terms of secure access to applications and data. No matter how technologically aware your team is, no one knows everything. It’s important to keep your learners up-to-date with regular cybersecurity training.

Fear of adoption

For a simple example, consider single sign-on (SSO). Single sign-on is an efficient way to log on to multiple applications. Using 2FA or MFA (two-factor or multi-factor authentication), single sign-on is secure as well as easy. However, if your team has never used such tech before, it can be bewildering. In our experience, 75-80% of corporate users don’t know how to use SSO without training. Post implementation of Akku, our team has occasionally offered training on how to use SSO and multi-factor authentication in the past.

When we speak to our customers, we find that in many cases, fear of adoption is a bigger hurdle than cost of implementation or features provided by the IAM. They believe that their workers simply don’t know how to use MFA, and that it’s too much effort to provide regular updates and training to fix this gap.

In our experience, fear of adoption prevents more investments in cybersecurity applications than budget or other concerns.

Prioritizing productivity over security

While Akku or other IAM solutions secure access to applications and data, there is a certain amount of involvement needed from your IT team. A classic example is the password change self-service functionality. This functionality allows your users to manage, update and change their own passwords.

At Akku, our policy is against self-service for password management. This is an intentional choice as it risks allowing users to set weak security questions or repeat common passwords used in other personal accounts. This, further, risks hacking through social engineering or credential stuffing attacks. In addition, when users know that they can reset their passwords at any time, they feel that their responsibility to secure their account and credentials is not as urgent. When they have to disturb their IT administrator every time they forget their password, this feels like a much more serious problem!

However, centralization of password management is inefficient for IT admin teams. In our experience, around 0.2% of users forget their passwords, every day. For an enterprise of 5,000 users, that results in upto 10 password reset requests, every day. As a result, some organizations tend to prioritize team efficiency or productivity over cybersecurity, by allowing users to manage their own passwords.

This raises the question: are you prioritizing your cybersecurity or team productivity? At the end of the day, you are responsible for your own cybersecurity. Taking the decision to invest in Akku or any other security infrastructure is an important step, but you need to keep the focus on cybersecurity on an ongoing basis.

Security is a long term commitment, not addressed by a single investment. Talk to our team today for a holistic consultation on the next steps towards a more secure organization.

Web content filtering: The benefits to hybrid organizations

The main objectives behind web content filtering are accuracy, scalability, and maintainability and unless you have the right service provider working with your organization, these three objectives are going to be hard to meet.

It’s because the three are like cogs in the wheel, and every one of them counts. Accurate blocking makes scalability and maintenance difficult, while easily scalable and maintainable content filtering systems may not be as accurate.

That’s why content filtering as a service is constantly evolving to address all of these issues and ensure enterprises have a multi-layered defense strategy in place against viruses, malware, phishing attacks, and so on.

First, let’s look at why your hybrid organization needs it

Managing compliance requirements:
By blocking offensive or distracting sites such as social networking platforms and video streaming services on a corporate network you are improving employee productivity as well as ensuring you are managing compliance requirements.
Managing bandwidth:
Web content filtering and YouTube category-based filtering enable organizations to track and regulate access to websites based on their content categories, it can prevent the use of high bandwidth sites like streaming sites that can reduce network performance.
Managing cyber threats:
Web content protects the network by blocking sites that are high-risk, spam, and malicious websites, as well as preventing data leakage. Websites can be blocked by category. For example, websites that come under categories such as Social Media or Entertainment can be blocked.

So, why not just use a firewall, you may wonder.

Well, you can, but the firewall will naturally block particular websites based on defined rules, and that means you cannot allow sub-categories within the website to be whitelisted. For instance, say, a channel on youtube. If your firewall is set to block youtube, the site as a whole will be inaccessible.

The second reason a firewall may not be a perfect choice is that it depends on the internet connection, not on the user or device. And in this era of hybrid working, firewalls can be bypassed if users connect to their home internet.

What you want is to keep the company devices safe and protect them from the risk of compromise even if they access the net from an outside firewall.

Use content filtering the right way

Content filtering is a tool and like any tool, knowing how to use it correctly will help you accomplish your goal. The right service provider can help you navigate the realm of web content filtering.

Take Akku’s content filter for instance. It can be configured to whitelist and blacklist sites. Even within the whitelisted sites, like for instance, YouTube, the Akku filter allows specifically whitelisted channels or categories, blocking all the other irrelevant ones. Akku’s filter uses a proxy server to read each video’s metadata to only allow viewing YouTube content that is allowed, for instance, some reference data or upskilling resources. The filter also allows you to restrict employees by user category defined on Akku’s identity access management solution.

In the hybrid work environment, content filtering by user works better than a firewall internet connection-based content filtering. It’s also helpful for companies too small to invest in on-prem firewalls.

Akku’s dedicated sales specialists are always ready to help with any information you need on content filtering. Contact us to find out more.

Maintaining in-house control of your digital access gateways

Unless you have the right kind of access control, you don’t have ownership of your assets. For digital assets, you also need a proper access gateway, which should not be under third-party control for storage and management. That’s because losing access keys means losing control of assets. With digital gateways, one can access the assets without needing to know where the keys are. It is very important to always keep these gateways running, disaster-free and tamper-free, and free of vendor lock.

Digital vaults

In a smart society and business set-up, every person has the right to their own digital vault to store their digital keys, with a common gateway to access all their assets. This digital gateway should be tamper-free, immutable and self-sovereign. You need a reliable, dependable single gateway for all digital assets wherever they are, with distributed and decentralized systems.

Multi-cloud data storage

Cloud computing makes this possible, as it works with distributed and elastic principles itself. Data can be distributed into multi-cloud platforms. One can build need-based custom IAMs for digital gateways by spanning its infrastructure into a multi-cloud environment with distributed storage like Hadoop and distributed databases with hash sharding, as distributed technology has self-balancing and auto-scaling features.

In-house or third-party?

It is extremely complex to build such a system manually. Instead, you can achieve the same result with the Google Anthos multi-cloud platform. As it can work on other cloud platforms as well as on on-prem platforms, it is vendor-lock-free.

Google Anthos

Since Anthos is a multi-cloud platform, you are not forced to depend on specific highly integrated tools specific to that cloud service provider. Rather than siloize each cloud environment, you can use Anthos to deploy and manage workloads to multiple cloud platforms. Google Anthos allows the creation of Kubernetes clusters in both AWS and Azure environments.

For any organization to keep its digital world alive and healthy, this kind of multi-cloud environment with hybrid cloud architecture is required. It might be the foundation of the smart world.

At CloudNow – creators of the Akku Identity and Access Management solution – we understand the importance of maintaining the sustainability and privacy of digital gateways, the real holder of all digital assets. Contact our team to learn more about how to implement a cloud-based access control system that works for your organization.

How does a true PAM work?

A Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution helps to secure and control privileged access to critical software and assets. Credentials and specific levels of access to various applications are provided through the PAM.

Usually, organizations implement PAM only for authorization and de-authorization of access to the apps. For instance, let’s say a new employee needs access to Gmail, Jira, and your CRM. Typically, organizations only provide access when the employee joins, and revoke it when he or she leaves. This can be done by a simple Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution – however, a PAM can do much more. (Quick side note: Akku serves both PAM and IAM needs.)

Here are some of the key functions that a PAM solution generally serves.

1. Assigning specific rights and access privileges

On each SaaS platform, what rights does each employee have? For example, take the CRM. Can they add and delete workflows? Is an individual user to be a super-administrator? Do they need to be allowed only to create contacts, but disallowed from editing or deleting?

Access may also be changed for the employee as they grow within the organization. When the employee is promoted, they may get additional responsibilities. For instance, a sales executive may not be allowed to edit contacts, but once promoted as a sales manager, this permission may become necessary.

You need not go to the CRM to make these changes – you can do so directly from your PAM platform. An IAM and PAM tool (like Akku) will allow you to manage changes to access permissions such as these from a single dashboard, with a single click.

2. Deprovisioning access

The day an employee leaves an organization, the IT team usually uses their generic IAM to revoke access to all SaaS apps (Gmail and Freshdesk, for example).

However, by doing this, only the IAM gateway to the app is deactivated: the license on the application itself remains. That means that the subscription charges continue on, as well, unless you go to the SaaS platform and delete the license there.

A true PAM directly deletes the license on Gmail or Freshdesk as well. It also follows the same exit procedure as that of the app itself. For instance, Gmail allows you to back-up email data to an email account of your choice before deleting the account. A professional IAM and PAM tool like Akku does the same, following the same laid-down process of the application.

By directly deleting the license on the application platform itself, you can be sure that you won’t waste money on subscription charges due to human error. This kind of automation is essential for enterprise-level customers. As they have a huge number of licenses, it is impossible to manually track the licenses in use and those no longer required. As a result, enterprises may realize that such a costly error has occurred only after subscription fees have built up!

The PAM also prompts you when you’re not using a license, upon which you can delete the license through the PAM.

Akku is a customizable IAM and PAM solution with user-friendly features that can be configured based on your specific requirements. Our team is well equipped to help you implement PAM at your organization and get the most out of it. Let’s talk.

Think beyond Active Directory for hybrid working

In 2020, the pandemic had a major impact on security and cyberattacks. The year saw the highest number of data breaches and cyberattacks in decades. In India alone, more than 1.1 million cyberattacks were reported in 2020, almost three times the number reported in 2019.

The new norm of work-from-home, paired with the Great Resignation, made cybersecurity even more challenging for enterprises. There was a steep increase in staff turnover and that came with access and privilege requests – all to be administered remotely.

On-prem IAM solution

The traditional, on-premises model for cybersecurity was to implement a solution like Active Directory (AD). This identity and access management solution helped to regulate device and user authorization through password policies and account privilege policies.

Many organizations (approximately 90% of the Global Fortune 1000 companies, says Frost & Sullivan) for identity and access management. Active Directory works on the enterprise network to manage the organization’s devices based on company policies for software and content access, password creation and maintenance, and other security requirements.

It pushes these enterprise policies securely to all network devices. It offers several advantages, primarily control and fast access to information. However, implementation of AD infrastructure in an organization requires proper planning and investment, and that can prove expensive depending on how many systems are being managed. AD depends on the office network and is located in the server room on the office premises.

Working remotely with AD

When using an on-prem IAM solution like Active Directory (AD), users sign on to the single AD portal to access their data and applications. The only way to sign on to AD is via the organization network.

During the pandemic, enterprises suddenly moved to remote working – rendering the on-prem solution useless. Suddenly, users needed to log on to their network from a remote location, through a VPN. The investment in multiple VPN licenses would result in a huge expense, while free or open-source VPNs could lead to security vulnerabilities themselves! This also created an additional step in the log-in/access process.

In addition, since the AD infrastructure depends on the office network and is entirely located in the company’s server rooms, it requires on-premises monitoring and maintenance by at least two trained technicians.

Azure AD

Microsoft understood that these problems could be faced by pandemic-stricken users of AD, and recommends that in such cases, Azure AD (the cloud version of Active Directory) may be used. However, Azure AD is associated with high initial CAPEX and ongoing maintenance costs and requires training for the technicians to be able to manage it.

These expenses are hard to justify, for businesses that had already invested in AD – typically, AD costs a significant amount of time and money. Some small and medium businesses simply could not afford the fresh costs, and instead looked for workarounds that potentially resulted in new vulnerabilities.

So are your only options expense, operational difficulties, or potentially vulnerable workarounds?

Opt for customized IDaaS

With a custom IDaaS (Identity as a service) solution, you gain the flexibility and usability of Azure AD, at a cost that suits your needs. Service providers like Akku offer complete automation of the identity and access management function, on any device accessing enterprise assets, from anywhere.

On-prem is old-school; the future is the cloud. Consider a cloud-native IAM solution like Akku, that’s completely customizable to your requirements. It’s more cost-effective and hassle-free. Contact our team to learn more.

The Goldilocks Zone of Content Restriction: Not too wide, not too narrow, but just right

Do you need to restrict content for your employees? Or can you allow them complete and free access to the worldwide web? There’s simply too much information out there, which can result in distraction and lowered productivity. At the same time, too many restrictions can make your team feel suffocated!

It’s important to strike a balance between allowing your team to access the information they need or may need, and keeping your company’s reputation clean by blocking illicit, illegal or unnecessary material.

Here’s a quick ready reckoner to help you plan your company’s content restriction strategy.

What content do you really need?

Let’s say your organization works in the e-learning space. Your team will need to use the internet to better understand some of the content inputs that they’ve received from their client. They’ll need to watch YouTube videos on how to create specific interactive elements. They may need to read technical papers on gamification and game-based learning, in order to stay updated and create content that will make an impact. They’ll also need to refer to material created by competitors, including promotional material put up by them on social media, to position the client’s product in the available learning gaps. These are essential content categories that the employee must be able to access.

What content might you need?

Many employees find that they are more effective if they work while listening to music. For their safety, it’s important to allow them access to the news and local weather updates. You could consider a midway solution by allowing access to audio-only music options, and restricting access to reputed news sites alone – and the amount of time that employees can spend on the site.

Perhaps the most controversial content category is viral social media. Would it help your team to be able to include the latest viral moment in the e-learning content, to keep it relevant and topical? If so, how do you allow access to viral content without losing employee productivity? Can you put a time cap on certain applications or websites?

What content do you definitely NOT need?

Access to personal email is a security risk as much as a productivity issue.

Entertainment content can waste a great deal of time and company bandwidth.

Illegal or illicit material found on official systems and networks can also impact your company’s reputation.

Can this be controlled by blacklisting certain URLs?

No, unfortunately not!

A lot of the video content your employees may need is on YouTube. So is a lot of the content that they don’t! Similarly, personal email may be accessed through the same URL as professional email.

Not to mention that blacklisting thousands – or even millions – of URLs is simply impractical. A more refined solution is required.

Whitelisting specific content categories

The kinds of content that you want to allow your team to access depends on the kind of work your company does. Each category of employee will also need different kinds of content access.

Open source content categorizations for websites and video streaming portals are available online. It is possible to restrict access to content – whether on YouTube or on the internet at large – based on this categorization.

This makes for a much more relevant form of content access control, with necessary content types remaining accessible while irrelevant content is blocked. This helps to save company bandwidth and unproductive employee time.

Wondering how to create content restrictions for your business? Allow our experts to help you. You can set up personalized content filters with Akku, a 100% customizable IAM.