The alert hit at 02:17. An unauthorized session tried to probe your production database. The IAM logs told the story in seconds. Strong identity and access management is not optional—it is the front line.
ISO 27001 makes IAM a formal requirement for any certified Information Security Management System. The standard demands that access to systems be granted only to authorized users, programs, or devices, and only for the time and permissions they need. Clause 9.2 and Annex A.9 define specific controls for this. These include user registration, privilege management, password policy, and periodic access reviews.
Implementing ISO 27001 IAM means mapping each control into real, enforced rules. Start with strict authentication methods. Enforce MFA for all privileged accounts. Centralize user provisioning and deprovisioning. Keep detailed logs for every login, token issue, and privilege change. Review these logs against your policies, not just incidents.
Access rights must be tied to roles with the principle of least privilege. Eliminate standing admin rights where possible. Adopt just-in-time access for sensitive systems. Remove dormant accounts quickly. Use automation to ensure these rules are always applied and never bypassed.