Sounds simple enough, although the physical security industry and IT historically perform this privilege management quite independently. In physical security, the corporate security office registers new employees and distributes ID badges, keys and key cards. In IT, new employees are granted “keys†such as passwords to networks, computers and applications. And, while the two systems sound similar, the two groups have found very different ways of performing identity management.
IT departments commonly centralize all identities and privileges in special computer software called a directory. The central repository saves a company thousands of dollars – sometimes millions – by allowing all identity and access systems related to the computer network to share information. Employees are added to the system quickly; privileges are modified easily; and individuals may be removed from all systems instantly.