Explanation of terms

Identity lifecycle management (ILM) refers to the controlled, rule-based handling of digital identities throughout their entire lifecycle - from creation to deactivation or deletion. The aim is to keep identities and authorizations up-to-date, correct and secure at all times.

ILM is a central component of modern IAM architectures and forms the basis for automated, compliance-compliant user management.

Phases of the identity lifecycle

The identity lifecycle typically comprises four phases:

1. Provisioning (onboarding)
   When new employees or external users join the company, their digital identities are created in the system and initial access rights are assigned according to their role and function. Modern ILM solutions enable this to be automated and role-based.
2. Access management (administration of access rights)
   ILM dynamically adjusts access rights during operation: for role changes, project assignments or time-limited authorizations. This ensures that users only ever have access to the resources they actually need, in accordance with the principle of least privilege.
3. Auditing & monitoring
   In order to comply with security guidelines and legal requirements (e.g. GDPR, HIPAA), ILM enables continuous monitoring and tracking of identity and access changes. This supports audits and facilitates forensic analysis.
   
4. Deprovisioning (offboarding)
   As soon as a user leaves the organization or no longer needs certain access rights, ILM automatically revokes all access rights and, if necessary, deletes or blocks the account. This prevents shadow identities, orphaned accounts and security gaps.
   

Goals and benefits

• Avoidance of orphaned accounts and unnecessary authorizations
• Reduction of security risks due to outdated or inconsistent accesses
• Support for compliance requirements (e.g. ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS2)
• Basis for audits, recertifications and role-based access control

 

Practical example

A new employee joins the company. Her user account is created automatically based on the HR data, and roles and rights are assigned systematically. Authorizations are adjusted in the event of a subsequent change of department. When an employee leaves the company, all accounts are automatically blocked, including all connected target systems such as AD, M365 and specialist applications.

Conclusion:

Identity Lifecycle Management ensures that digital identities are managed in an automated, rule-based and audit-proof manner over their entire useful life.