OpenIAM connects many systems through provisioning and policy engines. Proper security configuration is critical for protecting your identity infrastructure.
- Place OpenIAM services behind firewalls
- Use private networks for internal service communication
- Implement DMZ for external-facing authentication services
- Separate management interfaces from user-facing services
- Run each OpenIAM service in isolated containers or VMs
- Use dedicated databases for different service tiers
- Implement proper service-to-service authentication
- Limit inter-service communication to required ports only
- Enforce strong password complexity requirements
- Implement account lockout policies after failed attempts
- Require periodic password changes for privileged accounts
- Use password history to prevent reuse of previous passwords
- Require MFA for all administrative access
- Implement adaptive authentication based on risk factors
- Support multiple MFA methods (TOTP, SMS, Push notifications)
- Configure fallback authentication methods
- Set appropriate session timeouts
- Implement concurrent session limits
- Use secure, HttpOnly cookies
- Enable automatic logout after inactivity
- Store connector credentials in protected secrets backend (HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager)
- Rotate credentials regularly
- Use service accounts with minimal required permissions
- Implement certificate-based authentication where possible
- Encrypt database connections with TLS
- Use dedicated database users with minimal required permissions
- Enable database auditing for sensitive operations
- Regularly patch database software
- Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse
- Use API keys and tokens for service authentication
- Validate and sanitize all input parameters
- Implement proper error handling without information disclosure
- Store connector credentials securely (not in plain text)
- Use encrypted connections to target systems
- Implement approval workflows for high-impact changes
- Monitor and log all provisioning activities
- Implement principle of least privilege
- Use role-based access control (RBAC)
- Regularly review and audit access rights
- Implement separation of duties for sensitive operations
¶ Audit and Governance
- Enable audit logging for all authentication events
- Log all provisioning and deprovisioning activities
- Track configuration changes and administrative actions
- Implement log retention policies compliant with regulations
¶ Monitoring and Alerting
- Monitor for unusual authentication patterns
- Alert on failed authentication attempts
- Track system performance and availability
- Implement security event correlation
- Regular access reviews and recertification
- Maintain audit trails for compliance reporting
- Implement data retention and deletion policies
- Document security procedures and controls
- Keep the host OS updated with security patches
- Disable unnecessary services and ports
- Configure firewall rules to allow only required traffic
- Implement file integrity monitoring
- Disable unused features and protocols
- Configure secure headers for web applications
- Implement proper error handling
- Use HTTPS with strong cipher suites
- Use minimal base images
- Run containers as non-root users where possible
- Implement resource limits to prevent DoS
- Scan images for vulnerabilities before deployment
- Conduct periodic penetration testing
- Perform vulnerability scans regularly
- Review and update security configurations
- Stay informed about security advisories
- Develop incident response procedures
- Implement security monitoring tools
- Establish communication channels for security events
- Regularly test incident response procedures
¶ Backup and Recovery
- Encrypt backup data
- Test recovery procedures regularly
- Store backups securely with limited access
- Implement backup integrity verification
- Isolate affected systems
- Preserve evidence for forensic analysis
- Notify appropriate personnel
- Implement temporary access controls
- Restore from clean backups if necessary
- Regular certificate renewal process
- Certificate revocation procedures
- Key rotation policies
- Backup of private keys in secure storage