Gartner defines access management (AM) as platforms that include an identity provider (IdP) and establish, manage and enforce runtime access controls to at least cloud, modern standards-based web and classic web applications. AM’s purpose is to enable single sign-on (SSO) access for people (workforce, consumer and other users) and machines into protected applications in a streamlined and consistent way that enhances user experience. AM is also responsible for providing security controls to protect the user session in runtime, enforcing authentication (with multifactor authentication [MFA]) and authorization using adaptive access. Lastly, AM can provide identity context for other cybersecurity tools to enable identity-first security.
Gartner defines identity verification (IDV) as the combination of activities during a digital interaction that brings a real-world identity claim within organizational risk tolerances. Identity verification capabilities — delivered as SaaS, software or an appliance — provide assurance that a real-world identity exists and that the individual claiming the identity is its true owner and is genuinely present during the digital interaction. The purpose of identity verification is to establish confidence in the real-world identity of a person during a digital interaction when curated credentials do not exist, are not available or do not provide sufficient assurance.
The amount of information being transmitted from things continues to rise. Much of this data originates outside of the enterprise. The scale of security risks in the Internet of Things (IoT) era is therefore much greater than in the pre-IoT environment, and the 'attack surface' is much larger. Most sensor-based things have minimal computing resources, and the opportunities for antivirus, encryption and other forms of protection within things are more restricted. Therefore, IoT security products with a variety of capabilities emerged to help dispel some of these challenges.
Gartner defines operational technology (OT) as “hardware and software that detects or causes a change, through direct monitoring and/or control of industrial equipment, assets, processes and events”. OT security includes practices and technologies used to protect them, but these practices and technologies are now evolving into distinct categories to address the growing threats, security practices and vendor dynamics.
Gartner defines user authentication as the journey-time process that provides credence in a claim to an identity established for a person for access to digital assets. User authentication is delivered by some combination of (a) an authenticator, (b) signals evaluation and (c) an authentication decision point, which may be from different vendors. User authentication is used to provide credence in an identity claim for a person already known to an organization. The credence must be sufficient to bring account takeover (ATO) risks within the organization’s risk tolerance. User authentication is foundational to and protects the value of other functions with an organization’s identity fabric, namely: runtime authorization, especially segregation of duties (SOD); audit (individual accountability); and identity analytics.