It takes a village to implement successful application security

Jim Barkdoll   ·   Thursday, August 19th, 2021

Today is a great day for the Axiomatics team, as we introduce our new MuleSoft Certified Connector for Axiomatics Policy Server.

And while that is meaningful from a technology standpoint, I think it also demonstrates the importance of attribute-based access control – or ABAC – within the broader enterprise security ecosystem and what we believe is the next generation of enterprise application security.

For years I’ve said the right approach to enterprise security is a multi-faceted strategy that includes a variety of solutions.

As hackers and other bad actors become more sophisticated in what they can do (and as ransomware and other nefarious activities become more mainstream), enterprises must implement a strategy that considers security at every level, from the network through the application.

In short – it’s truer now more than ever that an “it takes a village” approach to implementing effective security is necessary to achieve a successful security strategy that empowers your workforce to quickly access what they need while keeping risk at a minimum.

The next step forward in digital security

It appears every few years security takes a huge step forward, adding another layer of understanding as to how enterprises can keep their most critical assets safe.

Passwords are an excellent example of this.

While initially understood as the best way to protect digital assets, we now know solutions including multi-factor authentication are necessary.

While each stage (passwords, VPNs, two-factor authentication, data classification, etc.) adds value and depth to enterprise security strategies, the world around us continues to change, creating complexity and confusion for CISOs and enterprise IT and security staff.

The pandemic perfectly illustrates this point.

In March 2020, every enterprise had to suddenly ensure their workers could safely access the information and resources necessary to do their jobs from home.

Most of these companies had a plan to digitally transform their operations…over time. An immediate shift created consternation both from security teams and users as enterprises struggled to provide seamless access to resources while keeping everything secure.

That means looking at many users accessing a large amount of resources daily, often via multiple devices.

With that as a backdrop, it’s no surprise we’ve seen a rise in demand for ABAC, which I believe is the next iteration of access management and authorization. A globally distributed workforce means it is critical to have context around who is accessing information, from where and for what reason.

In addition, that context must be delivered in real-time, enabling security teams to quickly respond to suspicious activity.

This new world of work also addresses the need for the MuleSoft Certified Connector for Axiomatics Policy Server.

MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform leverages an attribute-enhanced, role-based access control model where roles are created by grouping policies that dictate permissions. Administrators can create their own roles by changing attributes and versions of applications or APIs, which can then be assigned to users.

The Axiomatics Policy Server complements MuleSoft by delivering ABAC capabilities for critical business applications.

This gives enterprises access to a context, risk, and content-aware approach to extend existing authorization standards, securely share data, improve customer experience, and effectively enact strong, beneficial authorization policies.

Together, MuleSoft and Axiomatics provide enterprises with a dynamic approach to authorization that directly addresses the challenges faced by highly matrixed, globally distributed workforces.

No one solution will ever solve all your organization’s application security challenges.

As security postures continue to evolve, a variety of solutions from experts like MuleSoft and Axiomatics will be critical to ensure your applications and the data therein are only accessed by the right people, in the right way and for the right reasons.

To learn more about the MuleSoft Certified Connector for Axiomatics Policy Server, check out our news release or visit the MuleSoft Anypoint Exchange.

By Jim Barkdoll