Orphaned accounts, outdated access rights, and neglected authorization concepts continue to pose serious challenges. Yet addressing them doesn’t require an IAM transformation. With focused effort and the right tools, these risks can be handled swiftly – and with lasting results.
Still Running on Ghost Accounts?
Many organizations carry orphaned accounts – identities that remain active even after employees have departed. These accounts might exist in Active Directory, Microsoft Entra ID or SaaS applications and are rarely monitored, especially when they don’t incur license costs. But they do create risk.
These orphaned accounts can lead to unauthorized access, potential data breaches, and unnecessary expenses. Even in mature environments, they can represent a significant percentage of active identities.
Taking action doesn’t require months of planning. Modern IAM tools can scan directories, correlate with HR data, and highlight orphaned accounts in days – not weeks.
Authorization Concepts That Actually Work
Many organizations still document permissions and other security relevant information in static Word or Excel files. These get uploaded to SharePoint, quickly become outdated, and are rarely revisited. This method isn’t just inefficient – it’s risky.
An up-to-date authorization concept is not only a best practice, it’s increasingly a regulatory requirement. Frameworks like DORA require clear, consistent documentation of roles, entitlements, and access rules – and evidence that they’re actively maintained.
In contrast to outdated manual documentation, a modern IAM approach ties the authorization concept directly into the system. That means continuous updates, risk scoring, structured onboarding, and clear auditing. Critical systems like ERP or HR platforms can be modeled with detailed governance, while less critical apps are managed with leaner structures.
This structured approach boosts compliance readiness and improves operational agility – and makes DORA audits far less painful.
AI in IAM: Practical, Not Hype
Artificial Intelligence is proving its value in IAM. By learning from access patterns and comparing role distributions, AI helps clean up permissions and improve governance. More importantly, it does this with transparency.
Explainable AI means each recommendation comes with a clear rationale. Whether suggesting role revocations during re-certification or flagging data inconsistencies, AI provides helpful nudges – not black-box decisions. And when implemented locally, these insights don’t compromise data privacy.
Three IAM Fixes You Can Prioritize Now
You don’t need a massive transformation to make real progress:
- Identify and remove orphaned accounts to improve hygiene and reduce costs
- Replace static documentation with a live, system-connected authorization concept
- Use explainable AI to support re-certification and governance reviews
Each of these can be delivered in phases, with measurable results.
Conclusion
IAM isn’t just an IT function anymore – it’s a shared responsibility across security, compliance, and business operations. The faster it becomes structured, transparent, and intelligent, the more value it delivers.
If your IAM feels stuck or reactive, focus on these three areas. With the right guidance, you’ll see improvements in weeks – not years.
How NEXIS 4 Can Help
NEXIS 4 by is designed to address these exact challenges. It provides a zero-code platform for managing entitlements, streamlining authorization concepts, and leveraging AI for intelligent access governance. With features like explainable AI, real-time analytics, and seamless integration capabilities, NEXIS 4 empowers organizations to enhance their IAM strategies effectively.
Ready to Transform Your IAM Strategy?
Discover how NEXIS 4 can help you identify orphaned accounts, modernize your authorization concept, and leverage AI for smarter access governance.
👉 Request a Demo of NEXIS 4 and take the first step towards a more secure and compliant IAM framework.
