Analyzing Techniques to Provision Access via IDAM Models During Emergency and Disaster Response

Introduction

A natural or human-made disaster is a significant concern for populations across the world. It is important that the response to such cases be prompt and effective so that human and financial losses are minimized. In addition, while the response operations to such critical situations are often complex and complicated, a timely response is crucial. Therefore, designing and implementing effective identity and access management (IDAM) systems to respond to such incidents is the need of the hour. This article talks about the need for providing secure access in disaster response and the different techniques to provide access to key stakeholders during an emergency response. 

The Need for Secure Access in Disaster Response

During disaster relief efforts several stakeholders are called upon to action. They include multiple organizations, such as government agencies, non-profits, private sector companies, and many more. Employees or staff of such organizations along with volunteers, many of whom may or may not have any sort of previous experience or affiliations with such agencies, must be onboard rapidly and granted access to mission critical resources. 

First, a key concern is to adhere to the security principles of confidentiality, integrity and availability of information systems when designing and implementing a disaster relief effort. Further, the need to account for an established identity and access management solution is very critical. There is a significant risk of unauthorized users gaining access to sensitive data, systems and critical infrastructure without such frameworks or systems in place. Where time is of the essence and the number of volunteers can fluctuate rapidly, identity and access management systems need to be flexible and scalable to accommodate the large influx of volunteers and responders.

Techniques to Provision Access Using IDAM Systems and Models

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Role-Based Access Control is an access control model that is frequently observed during access providing processes. It is useful for provisioning access to an object based on the subject’s role, tasks, or job function. This is generally administered by using groups in access management systems to provide access to objects based on the specific permissions that each role has. Following the principle of least privilege, this model ensures that the users only have access to the tools and information they need to perform their duties.

In a specific disaster response use case, there would be different job roles and requirements of key stakeholders involved in the relief efforts. For example, these may include firefighters, logistics teams, or medical volunteers. Each one of these personnel would have different access requirements. An individual firefighter might have access to fire mapping tools and medical volunteers would require access to health records and incident reports.

As the emergency evolves the roles of the key stakeholders might also change rapidly. For instance, a volunteer might start as a logistics coordinator but later transition to a medical responder. RBAC provides an opportunity for responders to quickly adjust access permissions to reflect such changes.

Single Sign-On (SSO)

Single Sign-On (SSO) is relatively a new access control model. It relies on providing access to users without needing to log in repeatedly across multiple systems. For example, volunteers and responders might often need access to different applications such as communication tools, emergency response systems, and medical records databases. SSO can form the basis of a one-time authentication process and provide a way to switch among the above different platforms without re-authenticating each time.

As mentioned earlier, a volunteer involved in a firefighting scenario can access and switch among incident management software, mapping tools, and communication channels. This saves valuable time in managing technical operations, especially when the volunteer’s primary focus is to respond to the emergency. In addition, this enhances user experience and reduces password fatigue for the responders.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

The high stakes for disaster response call for a balanced approach towards implementing multi-factor authentication. This adds an extra layer of security, primarily based on the defense-in-depth security principle. While instant access provided to responders can be beneficial, a smart trade-off must be considered when ensuring additional layers of secure authentication. For instance, in a critical high-risk disaster response use case, such as medical data or critical infrastructure, volunteers accessing these systems would need to authenticate using both a password, something that they know, and a one-time code, sent to their mobile device, something that they have.

Federated Identity Management (FIM)

Federated Identity Management (FIM) provides the gateway for sharing identity information across different organizations. During a wildfire disaster, multiple agencies and organizations, each with its own authentication system, can be enabled by FIM to provide users with the access to multiple systems with a single set of credentials.

Diving deeper into the above use case, agencies such as FEMA, CAL FIRE, and local hospitals might each have their own identity systems. FIM can provide volunteers and responders to use their existing credentials (e.g., from FEMA) to access resources at CAL FIRE or medical facilities without needing to register and authenticate separately. This can considerably reduce administrative overhead.

Temporary Access and Self-Service Provisioning

A volunteer arriving at a disaster response center might need to quickly register through a self-service portal. Self-service provisioning is an approach that satisfies such requirements without the need for administrative intervention. This is particularly useful in high-turnover environments where rapid deployment is applicable. Eventually, the access of responders and volunteers is granted based on their role and the tasks assigned to them.

Challenges and Considerations

The plethora of access control models, though useful, can also bring forth several challenges that would require further analysis. Limited internet connectivity in remote areas can hinder access to cloud-based IDAM systems. This might necessitate offline authentication solutions to address such issues. In addition, rapid scaling of access during large-scale disasters requires IDAM systems to be flexible and dynamic to handle fluctuating volunteer numbers and access requirements.

Conclusion

While significant progress has been made in designing and implementing IDAM systems, there is scope for providing tremendous value to agencies and non-profits in providing them with efficient access control systems. The aforementioned access control models underpin a smooth and secure operation of disaster response efforts, ensuring that the right people have the right level of access to critical resources at the right time. With the continued rise in frequency and intensity of disasters, the need for robust, scalable, and secure IDAM solutions will only grow down the line.