Best Practices for User Access Management and Password Hygiene
Controlling Who Sees What
User Access Management (UAM) ensures employees have exactly the permissions they need to do their job—no more, no less. Poor UAM, combined with weak passwords, is a leading cause of insider data breaches.
Key UAM and Password Policies
- **Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP):** Grant users the minimum access rights necessary. For example, a sales agent doesn’t need access to HR payroll data. This minimizes damage if an account is compromised.
- **Mandatory Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):** Enforce 2FA on all critical systems (email, CRM, financial software). This is the single most effective barrier against password theft.
- **Password Manager:** Encourage or mandate the use of a reputable password manager. This allows users to generate and store long, complex, unique passwords for every system without needing to memorize them.
- **Revocation Policy:** Immediately disable all accounts (email, VPN, system access) when an employee resigns or is terminated. This must be a central part of the off-boarding process.
Passwords should be long (12+ characters) and unique; avoid complex password policies that force frequent changes, as users often just adjust the same password, weakening security.