The Benefits of Externalizing Authorization: Enhancing Security and Streamlining Access Control

By, Michelle Fallon, PlainID

In several reports over the last few years, Gartner Research has emphasized the significance of externalizing authorization as a vital component of security and risk management (see Gartner’s Designing Policy-Based Authorization Control for Data and Analytics Pipelines). By adopting an access control solution focused on externalizing authorization, organizations can unlock several compelling benefits that align business agility with efficiency and security. In this blog post, we will explore five key advantages of externalizing authorization based on our market expertise coupled with Gartner's research and recommendations.

Centralized Policy Management

Externalizing authorization enables a centralized policy management approach. Organizations can define and manage authorization policies in a unified manner. This streamlines access control management across the enterprise technology stack, encompassing applications, APIs, microservices, data, and cloud infrastructure. By centralizing policy management, organizations can enforce consistent and coherent access control measures, reducing complexity and ensuring compliance. Zero Trust frameworks require access policies to be based on real-time context to continuously block unauthorized access and lateral movement throughout an environment. Externalized authorization, and its centralized management, enables enterprises to map and visualize complex relationships between identities and data.

Decentralized (or Distributed) Enforcement

The move to cloud and hybrid architecture, as well as the rapid growth in data, APls, and microservices brought on a new problem: exposed and vulnerable endpoints. One of the fundamental benefits of externalized authorization is decentralized enforcement. With this approach, authorization decisions are made dynamically at runtime, considering the specific context of each request. By leveraging accurate and relevant contextual signals at the time of the request, organizations can make informed access control decisions. This ensures that the right individuals or entities have appropriate resource access, enhancing security and reducing the risk of unauthorized access.The normalization of authorization for all architecture allows for security at every layer and works natively with the applications.

Enhanced Control and Visibility

Dynamic Authorization, made possible through Policy-based Access Control (PBAC), provides security and administration teams with increased control and visibility. They gain comprehensive insights into how people and machines access resources in the organization. This enhanced visibility enables proactive monitoring, quicker threat detection, and efficient response to security incidents. Security and administration teams can enforce consistent standards, mitigate risks, and maintain a robust security posture across the organization.

Streamlined Compliance

When it comes to regulatory requirements and industry standards, externalizing authorization is a smart move. By using a centralized access management solution, organizations can implement specific policies effortlessly. This not only makes compliance easier to demonstrate during audits but also provides granular control over access permissions. It also helps reduce the risk of unauthorized data breaches by facilitating segregation of duties.

Alignment with Digital Transformation:

Externalized authorization aligns perfectly with organizations' ongoing digital transformation initiatives. As businesses aim to provide secure, seamless, and personalized customer experiences, externalizing authorization becomes crucial. It allows organizations to efficiently balance security and user convenience, adapting to customer expectations and driving digital innovation while maintaining robust security measures.

When it comes to security and access control, externalizing authorization has numerous advantages for organizations. It offers centralized policy management, decentralized enforcement, increased control, visibility, and streamlined compliance. Plus, it aligns with the broader digital transformation trends and helps provide secure and personalized customer experiences. By applying insights from Gartner's research, organizations can strengthen their security and embrace efficient access management practices for a successful digital future.