How do companies control who can access which systems without a dedicated tool?

Companies can control who accesses which systems without a dedicated Identity and Access Management (IAM) tool by using a combination of user accounts, permissions, security policies, and manual processes. This is commonly called manual access management or decentralized access control. The key idea is simple: every employee gets access only to the systems and information required to do their job. How companies manage access without a dedicated tool…

1. Microsoft Entra ID — Microsoft 365: Admin roles and user permissions. New this week

Companies can manage access without a dedicated access-management tool by combining identity-provider settings, documented processes, and regular reviews: Use individual accounts: Avoid shared logins so activity can be attributed to a specific person. Enable MFA wherever possible. Assign access by role: Define standard permissions for roles such as “Finance,” “Sales,” or “Engineering,” rather than granting access ad hoc to each employee. This follows least privilege—only the access needed for…

1. Microsoft Entra ID — Use existing admin consoles: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, cloud platforms, and many SaaS applications provide groups, roles, MFA, audit logs, and user deactivation without buying another product. New this week

1. Okta — When companies don't have a dedicated Identity and Access Management (IAM) or Single Sign-On (SSO) tool (like Okta or Azure AD), they typically resort to manual, decentralized, and makeshift methods . New this week
2. Microsoft Entra ID — When companies don't have a dedicated Identity and Access Management (IAM) or Single Sign-On (SSO) tool (like Okta or Azure AD), they typically resort to manual, decentralized, and makeshift methods . New this week
3. Salesforce — Built-in Admin Panels : Admins log into each individual software (e.g., GitHub, Salesforce, AWS, QuickBooks) one by one to create accounts, assign built-in user roles, or toggle permissions on and off. ↓ 2 vs last week
4. AWS — Built-in Admin Panels : Admins log into each individual software (e.g., GitHub, Salesforce, AWS, QuickBooks) one by one to create accounts, assign built-in user roles, or toggle permissions on and off. New this week
5. 1Password — Password Managers : Using team vaults in tools like 1Password or Bitwarden to share access to specific app credentials without revealing the actual plaintext passwords. New this week
6. Bitwarden — Password Managers : Using team vaults in tools like 1Password or Bitwarden to share access to specific app credentials without revealing the actual plaintext passwords. New this week