This two-part blog series explains the real-life benefits of integrating the two advanced frameworks—Unified Endpoints Management and Identity and Access Management—to help your organization build a resilient cybersecurity environment. You can read the second part here.
The shift from traditional office environments to hybrid and work-from-home (WFH) setups in recent times has expanded the number of endpoints. This transformation led enterprises to rethink and strengthen their security protocols to accommodate Bring Your Device (BYOD) policies.
It also redefined how organizations approach security in an increasingly connected world, fostering flexibility. By consolidating the capabilities of Unified Endpoint Management and Identity and Access Management tools, IT teams should also rethink on these two frameworks can enhance efficiency and security.
This blog examines how integrating UEM with IAM can boost organizational efficiency while highlighting some shortcomings of popular IAM solutions that are available.
What is UEM?
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is a complete solution for centrally managing and securing different types of devices such as desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, POS systems, wearables, rugged devices, and IoT or VR devices within an organization.
According to a comprehensive report on Unified Endpoint Management, the Global UEM Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 40.5% from 2024 to 2031. Valued at USD 11.93 billion in 2024, the market is expected to reach USD 145.62 billion by the end of the forecast period.
By leveraging a single platform to streamline endpoint security, UEM enhances an enterprise’s security posture, allowing security and IT teams to consistently protect all endpoint devices.
Key Features of UEM Include
a. Device Management: Streamlined management of all devices within an organization.
b. Policy Enforcement: Implementation of security policies across all endpoints.
c. Application Management: Overseeing application deployments and updates.
The primary benefit of UEM lies in its ability to simplify IT operations and enhance security through a centralized management approach.
What is IAM?
Identity and Access Management (IAM) ensures that individuals have the appropriate level of access at the right time and on the right device. It focuses on granting verified people access to the resources based on users’ level of responsibility for the right reasons. Due to its critical role in cybersecurity, IAM is an essential component of modern IT.
Let’s take a look at what comprises Identity and Access Management.
Key Features of IAM Include
IAM is essential for protecting sensitive information and maintaining compliance with various regulations. A recent IDSA study on 2024 trends in securing digital identities revealed that 90% of large organizations experienced an identity incident last year, highlighting key trends in incident vectors and their impact.
Here are the components included in Identity and Access Management:
a. User Provisioning: Automating the process of creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts.
b. Access Controls: Implementing rules that determine who can access what.
c. Single Sign-On (SSO): Allowing users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials.
Together, these components streamline restrictive access to different service applications based on users and enhance security, creating a more efficient and secure environment for organizations.
The Intersection of UEM and IAM
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is limited in its ability to safeguard software services due to its lack of application awareness, inadequate threat detection capabilities, and challenges in protecting cloud-based solutions. Fragmented security controls can data breaches, leaving organizations vulnerable to risks.
To explore this further, here’s a closer look at additional factors:
a. Limited Application Awareness: Often by prioritizing device management over in-depth application monitoring, UEM potentially leaves software services vulnerable to attacks.
b. Inadequate Threat Detection: While UEM enforces security policies, it may lack advanced threat detection capabilities necessary for identifying sophisticated threats targeting software services.
c. Challenges with Cloud Services: UEM may struggle to extend its safety to cloud-based software, leaving these services exposed to risks.
d. Fragmented Security Controls: UEM solutions might not integrate seamlessly with other security measures, resulting in gaps for critical software services.
To address these shortcomings, integrating UEM with IAM creates a synergistic relationship that can significantly enhance both security and operational efficiency. By combining these two frameworks, organizations can streamline user provisioning processes and improve security controls across all endpoints.
Simply put, UEM protects device management through a unified view, while IAM is essential for securing your software and applications, ensuring overall security.
Benefits of Integrating UEM with IAM
A. Enhanced Operational Efficiency
One of the primary advantages of integrating UEM with IAM is the boost in operational efficiency:
i) Automated User Provisioning: IT Admins can streamline the onboarding and offboarding processes, significantly reducing the time needed to manage user accounts and their access to various devices.
ii) Simplified Access Controls: A unified approach allows for easier implementation of access policies across all devices, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access.
iii) Enhanced User Experience: Features such as Single sign-on provides users with seamless access to applications, eliminating the need to remember multiple passwords.
B. Improved Security Posture
The integration of UEM and IAM also leads to a stronger security posture:
i) Real-Time Monitoring: Organizations can monitor user behavior and endpoint status in real-time, quickly identifying and addressing potential threats.
ii) Automated Compliance: Integrated systems can ensure that both endpoint and access management comply with security policies and regulations.
iii) Streamlined Administrative Tasks: Centralizing management reduces the workload on IT teams, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine administrative tasks.
iv) Improved Oversight: A single platform optimizes seamless visibility into endpoints, and user identities along with assigning access to selective service applications, enabling better decision-making regarding security policies and protocols.
C. Reduced TCO
Finally, integrating UEM with IAM can lead to significant cost savings:
i) Reduced Overhead: By consolidating management tools, organizations can lower licensing and operational costs.
ii) Minimized Data Breach Risks: With better security controls in place, organizations can reduce the financial impact associated with data breaches.
iii) Regularized Audits: Streamline audits of both endpoints and access through a unified software vendor, enabling comprehensive visibility, enhanced security, and simplified compliance management in one integrated solution.
The Future of UEM and IAM Integration
a. Emerging Trends
As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, the importance of integrated solutions will only grow. Organizations are increasingly looking for tools that can seamlessly combine endpoint management with identity standards for smoother access protocols.
b. Best Practices for Organizations
When selecting UEM and IAM tools, organizations should consider the following best practices:
i) Evaluate Integration Capabilities: Ensure that the chosen solutions can integrate effectively to maximize efficiency and security.
ii) Assess Security Needs: Consider specific security requirements and operational goals before making a decision.
Role of Scalefusion’s UEM and OneIdP In Transforming the Convergence of UEM and IAM
By now, we’ve highlighted the top concepts of UEM and IAM. We also emphasized why the convergence of the two technological frameworks is gaining popularity in cybersecurity standards.
But, you must be wondering why are we talking about all these broader terms.
The answer is simple… CISOs face significant challenges in safeguarding both hardware and software services within a single platform. The most pressing concern for them is to ensure strong and sophisticated security measures that protect against evolving threats while maintaining seamless access for users. Balancing the integration of diverse technologies and compliance with regulatory standards adds complexity to their role.
Rather than relying on multiple vendors for security, Scalefusion created a simplified single-platform solution to tackle decentralized frameworks. With Scalefusion’s UEM and OneIdP, organizations can protect their endpoints and enable conditional access to services for authenticated users, reducing security breaches.
Scalefusion’s UEM and OneIdP work on conditional access through and through. With a conditional device login mechanism (KeyCard), admins can establish strong device trust, and, Single Sign-On (SSO) leverages service application trust. Admins can also set sophisticated rules based on Location, date and time, SSID restrictions, Geofencing to ensure that only authorized users access critical resources, and enforce security policies based on specific conditions and user roles.
That’s not all though. By safeguarding security, CISOs are also resolving user lifecycle management issues, enhancing end-user experience, and generating strong operational efficiency standards.
Closing Thoughts
Integrating Unified Endpoint Management with Identity and Access Management can greatly improve operational efficiency and security in today’s complex IT landscapes. Although various solutions are available in the market, organizations must recognize their operational limitations and explore integrated approaches for better outcomes.
By actively integrating these two technological frameworks, organizations can elevate their digital environment, optimize end-user experience, and streamline processes to position themselves for continued success.
Want to understand more about Scalefusion’s UEM and IAM solution in its entirety? We will be posting more about it in the upcoming weeks. If you still have questions, we’d be happy to schedule a demo with our experts!
FAQs
1. What is the difference between UEM and IAM?
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) secures various endpoints—like mobile devices, desktops, and IoT—through a unified platform that enforces security policies. Identity and Access Management (IAM) ensures authorized users have appropriate access to corporate resources, preventing unauthorized access and fraud. Together, they form a comprehensive security framework that protects devices and sensitive information.
2. How does IAM integrate with UEM?
Integrating Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) with Identity and Access Management (IAM) creates a powerful solution that maximizes security and streamlines user management. By selecting compatible IAM and UEM solutions and defining security policies, enterprises can implement features like single sign-on and multi-factor authentication for smooth user access. Centralizing user management and implementing continuous monitoring improves security and operational efficiency across all endpoints.
3. What are the benefits of using IAM and UEM together?
By using a feature-rich UEM tool, organizations can unify user access, authentication, and authorization. It also improves centralized control over user access and device management, streamlines operations to support compliance with consistent security policies across all endpoints, and optimizes user experiences while reducing administrative overhead.
4. Can UEM systems integrate with existing IAM solutions?
Yes, UEM systems can integrate with existing IAM solutions, allowing organizations to enforce consistent security policies across all endpoints while managing user access effectively. By connecting UEM with IAM, businesses can ensure that only authorized users access corporate resources on compliant devices, thereby improving overall security and operational efficiency.
5. What role does UEM play in managing device security for IAM?
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is essential for managing device security within Identity and Access Management (IAM) by enrolling and securing all devices in the organization. By identifying unmanaged devices, admins can enroll them within UEM solution allowing for consistent security policies. Through device discovery all the unmanaged devices are integrated on a centralized dashboard, ensuring that only compliant devices can access corporate resources.
