AP Automation
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People can be extremely difficult to control. A business can establish robust firewalls, install network monitoring systems and feverishly update anti-malware, only to have these efforts come to naught when a weak password makes it easy for an unauthorized user to access data.
Businesses frequently struggle to govern end-user activities around login procedures, an issue that is only becoming more complex in the era of cloud and mobile computing.
As cloud and mobile apps enable users to access a wider range of services across multiple devices, businesses are facing pressure to control login credentials across more channels.
This added complexity is evident with the rise of document management system software, as going paperless gives companies a chance to move beyond their legacy, paper-based records and the access control systems surrounding them.
Digital document management requires an entirely different access control mechanism, and it forces IT teams to manage another set of user credentials to keep data safe. However, PairSoft is working to eliminate the added complexity and risk inherent in traditional user authentication schemes, and we’re doing it through Active Directory integration.
User authentication challenges associated with digital services
Anybody who has signed up for a digital service has probably seen how standards pertaining to passwords can vary. One website might not have any regulations. Others could require a minimum of six characters, with at least one capital letter and a special character.
Some get even more robust, even asking users to change their passwords periodically. This complexity leaves plenty of room for error, as users trying to mitigate the burden of managing all of these passwords may:
- Reuse the same password for multiple services.
- Use the simplest password possible to make it easier to remember.
- Record their passwords, such as by writing them on notepads near their desks, making it easier for somebody to steal them.
The rise of digital services is adding to the complexity surrounding passwords, and businesses are combating this problem by establishing policies and procedures that can be governed across their various applications.
This is all well and good for solutions that share a common background architecture, but many dedicated document management systems have their own user authentication methods that don’t necessarily work well within this larger ecosystem.
Active Directory integration in the PairSoft platform eliminates this authentication divide.
How Active Directory transforms authentication
Active Directory is, essentially, a database that houses login credentials and applies them to applications within the enterprise ecosystem. Within this framework, organizations can:
- Establish a single set of standards for passwords that can be applied across multiple services.
- Gain visibility into user activities to ensure governance.
- Enforce regulatory requirements throughout the business.
- Leverage single sign-on tools that let users log in to your system once and have that login function for all connected apps.
- Audit login activities to identify suspicious activities quickly.
- Save users from having to remember a bunch of passwords, reducing the likelihood that human error contributes to a system breach.
At its core, Active Directory serves as a central hub for user credential management. As enterprise IT teams try to oversee a wider range of applications and services, they face increased complexity when it comes to credential management and regulatory compliance.
These issues become complex in the document management world, as organizations must also establish access control procedures that regulate the types of documents different users are allowed to view and edit. All of this management overhead is simplified when the initial login requirements are handled within Active Directory.
Streamlining user authentication processes can prove extremely valuable from a security perspective. People are generally one of the few things IT teams can’t control within their security landscape, but Active Directory integration throughout the app ecosystem provides the visibility and management organizations need to keep information safe.
To learn how PairSoft can help your business capture, integrate and automate your business processes, please watch our personalized demonstration or visit our case studies page to read about our clients’ success stories.
