Doing business with government organisations in the UAE requires you to be highly diligent regarding information security. Vendors have access to sensitive files, business applications, cloud software, and privileged IT accounts, making their systems the critical point at which sensitive information can be improperly accessed. 
Identity and Access Management (IAM) enables firms to give access to their systems while limiting or preventing entry for unauthorised entities. Privileged Access Management (PAM) covers the management, monitoring, and securing of privileged accounts, and Privileged Identity Management (PIM) addresses how access is managed and audited. 
For businesses and vendors working on government contracts, implementing IAM and other access controls is vital to reducing exposure and ensuring responsibility. 
 
Below are the key areas of access management that firms must review. 

1. Keep an Updated Account Inventory 

The first step is to develop an account inventory that covers all user accounts that have access to the organisation’s systems. This includes staff, administrator, contractors, service, and third-party accounts. The following questions will help you come up with the inventory: 
• Who owns which account? 
• What access does each account have? 
• Do the accounts require access to specific systems? 
 
When possible, it is recommended to delete inactive accounts or those without any particular purpose. At the same time, you must consider removing a worker’s access to systems when they leave. 
For example, when a contractor completes a government IT project, their access to project files, remote access tools, and business applications should be deleted if they are no longer required. In addition, having an updated account inventory helps you keep track of accounts that could be forgotten and constitute potential security weaknesses. 
 

2. Privileged Access Management (PAM) 

Administrators’ accounts typically have broad access rights to servers, databases, networks, and business applications. Therefore, it is paramount for organisations to ensure that their privileged access accounts are protected and their exposure is minimised. 
Key PAM requirements include limiting administrator access to only essential personnel, using separate accounts for everyday tasks and administration, enforcing MFA authentication, auditing privileged activity, storing and rotating privileged credentials, and restricting administrative access where possible. 
For instance, a network administrator might need administrator access to the network infrastructure to perform maintenance, but the access should be limited to the maintenance period and not for day-to-day operations. Overall, these requirements will help you reduce the risks associated with privileged accounts and increase visibility into privileged activities. 

3. Privileged Identity Management (PIM) 

PIM requires companies to define the conditions under which users can access a privileged role and manage the approvals, verification, and auditing of these roles. For instance, in cloud environments, it is typical for workers to request access to privileged roles. 
As much as possible, it is recommended to configure just-in-time access, temporary privileged roles, approvals, and alerts for PIM. 
For example, if a cloud administrator asks to access a privileged role to troubleshoot an issue in the production environment, their access should only be allowed for a short period. The exact requirements will depend on the identity platform being used. 
Therefore, it is essential to leverage your identity platform’s capabilities to configure and enforce the minimum access roles whenever possible. 

4. Multi-Factor Authentication and Least-Privilege Access 

All users should be required to adopt Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and other identity verification measures. Wherever possible, the principle of least-privilege access should be applied, particularly when it comes to privileged accounts. Additionally, organisations should utilise conditional access features to help reduce the risks associated with insecure access points. For instance, workers should not be allowed to access the company’s systems unless they are using the latest browsers or operating systems. 
 
In most cases, MFA and least-privilege access will apply to systems that give access to sensitive files or those that are highly connected, such as the IT network. It is also essential to limit a government contractor’s access to data, systems, and applications based on the specific terms of the contract. 
For instance, the IT Security Solutions Abu Dhabi can work with you to review your identity security posture and identity gaps that could be exploited, especially in authentication, account access, and privileged access areas. These recommendations will help you increase the organisation’s overall security posture significantly. 

5. Monitor Access Activities and Conduct Regular Access Reviews 

Access reviews should be done on a regular basis instead of waiting for new staff to join or existing workers to leave. You should also monitor account access activities, especially in highly privileged accounts. For instance, it might be necessary to set up alerts whenever there are failed login attempts or unusual login activities. The organisation should respond to the identified suspicious activities promptly and investigate their origin. 
It is also essential to conduct access reviews on a regular basis, particularly with system owners, to ensure that users only have access to systems they should. For instance, it is typical for organisations to detect suspicious log-in activity, such as multiple failed administrator access attempts, and investigate further to confirm whether there is any form of unauthorised access. Overall, a Security Risk Assessment Abu Dhabi can help detect any weaknesses in the management and security of user access. 

6. Document All Identity Management Procedures and Review Requirements for Government Vendors 

Organisations must ensure that there are clearly defined policies covering account creation, access, privilege elevation, account closures, incident response, and audit procedures. This documentation will help you determine whether there are areas of weaknesses and gaps. 
 
When working with government agencies, it is also essential to understand the requirements they specify for organisations with which they work. The requirements may vary for different projects, systems, and government entities. In most cases, the requirements will be based on the level of sensitivity of the information and other factors, such as the contract terms.  
Therefore, working with an Information Security Consultancy will be vital in assisting the firm with its requirements, reviewing the areas of gap, and developing a practical approach to addressing the issues. 

 
 Secure Your Access to Government Projects With Bluechip Gulf Abu Dhabi

IAM, PAM, and PIM are vital in ensuring that your business practices regarding privileged access contribute to the overall security posture of the firm. For government contractors, the three areas are even more critical as they have to deal with systems with highly sensitive information. In conjunction with other cybersecurity aspects, such as monitoring and incident response, they can significantly benefit from PAM and PIM. 
Bluechip Gulf Abu Dhabi can help you review your organisation’s requirements when doing a government project. You can also contact the firm to learn more about IT Security Solutions in Abu Dhabi and what the best options are for your organisation. 

Do not wait for an access-related crisis to occur before you start considering ways of improving the security of your systems and data. Contact Bluechip Gulf today to help you take the next step towards a more secure IT environment.