Modern evolutions in cybersecurity revolve around two core strategies: the principle of least privilege (PoLP) and the zero trust security model. These are logical, powerful frameworks for protecting critical assets that address different security questions.
For decades, the standard IT onboarding process has been a bottleneck. Days before a new hire starts, administrators grind through helpdesk tickets to manually set up accounts across dozens of web applications. Not only does this drain IT resources, but it also creates a massive security liability. Pre-provisioning accounts days or weeks in advance means creating dormant access points—perfect targets for attackers and a direct violation of Zero Trust principles.
What Is Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) vs. Privileged Access Management (PAM)?
When a user credential is compromised, the first question a security team asks is:
What is the blast radius?
How far can the attacker move?
What data can they reach?
Can they alter production code or shut down infrastructure?
To control this blast radius and maintain regulatory compliance, organizations rely on two mutually dependent security controls: Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) and Privileged Access Management (PAM).
11 Best Access Governance Software for Identity Management in 2026
Access governance is a critical component within identity and access management (IAM) that ensures the right individuals have access to the appropriate resources at the right times and for the right reasons. It involves the processes and technologies that manage and regulate who has access to what information and systems within an organization.
