Ensuring Accurate Identity Matching in IAM: The Critical Role of Attributes

FROM TECH TALK TO BUSINESS IMPACT

Ensuring Accurate Identity Matching in IAM: The Critical Role of Attributes 

 

Introduction 

In Identity and Access Management (IAM), ensuring that users are correctly identified and matched to their existing accounts is fundamental to security, compliance, and operational efficiency. Organizations that manage identities from multiple source systems—such as Human Resources (HR), Student Information Systems (SIS), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM)—face additional complexities in ensuring that each user is uniquely identified across all systems. 

Without accurate user matching, organizations risk creating duplicate accounts, granting improper access, or failing to remove access when necessary leading to security vulnerabilities and governance challenges. This white paper explores the importance of using appropriate attributes in an IAM system for effective identity matching and correct identity creation, particularly when dealing with multiple authoritative sources. 

 

Key Takeaways 

• Accurate identity matching prevents duplicate accounts and security gaps. 

• Organizations with multiple source systems must prioritize unique identifiers for cross-system matching within IAM. 

• Key attributes such as National ID (SSN), employee/student IDs, and demographic data are crucial for reliable matching. 

• Poor attribute selection can result in compliance risks and unauthorized access. 

• A well-structured IAM user matching process enhances operational efficiency and reduces IT overhead. 

 

The Role of Attributes in Identity Matching

Why Attributes Matter in IAM 

Attributes serve as the foundation for uniquely identifying users and associating them with their appropriate roles, access privileges, and historical data. Inconsistent or missing attributes can result in: 

• Duplicate Accounts: Multiple records for the same individual, leading to confusion and security risks. 

• Access Control Issues: Users receiving incorrect permissions or retaining access beyond their required roles. 

• Compliance Risks: Failure to enforce governance policies due to inaccurate identity mapping. 

 

The Challenge of Multiple Source Systems

When an organization has multiple authoritative sources—such as an HR system for employees, an SIS for students, and a CRM for external users—it becomes critical to ensure that the same person is consistently identified across all systems. If these systems do not share a universal unique identifier, IAM must rely on a combination of attributes to establish an accurate match. 

For example: 

• An employee may enroll as a student, requiring access to different systems. 

• A contractor from a CRM database may transition into full-time employment or hold both roles concurrently. 

• An alumni may return as a faculty member, necessitating a reactivation of prior credentials. 

Without a proper matching strategy, these transitions can result in either duplicate accounts or access inconsistencies, both of which introduce security and operational risks. 

 

The Importance of National ID (SSN) in Multi-System Identity Matching 

One of the most reliable attributes for cross-system identity matching is the National ID (such as SSN in the U.S.) because: 

• It is globally unique: Unlike names, email addresses, or phone numbers, a National ID does not change and is issued uniquely to each individual. 

• It ensures consistency across systems: Even if different systems assign different user IDs (e.g., an employee ID in HR and a student ID in SIS), the National ID remains the same and therefore can be matched in separate data streams. 

• It reduces duplicate identities: Many duplicate identity issues arise from users being assigned separate accounts under different identifiers. Using a National ID as a key matching attribute prevents this. 

If an IAM system does not process National IDs for various internal reasons, establishing an alternative matching strategy based on multiple attributes, such as a combination of name, date of birth, and other non-National ID unique identifiers (e.g., passport number, driver’s license, or government-issued ID) can still lead to data inconsistencies and resulting Identity match issues. 

 

Key Attributes for Reliable Identity Matching 

IAM systems should leverage a combination of static and dynamic attributes to accurately match users across systems. Any verifier that can be placed on any of these attributes only strengthens the process (e.g. background check to ensure SSN, legal name spelling, date of birth, etc.). 

1. Unique Identifiers

• • Employee ID / Student ID: Primary internal identifiers assigned in HR and SIS. 

• • National ID / Social Security Number (SSN): The strongest cross-system unique identifier. 

• • Enterprise Unique Identifier (EUID): A globally unique identifier assigned within the IAM system.

2. Biographical Data

• • Full Name (First, Middle, Last): Used for secondary matching but can lead to errors due to name changes or spelling issues. 

• • Date of Birth: Provides an additional layer of identity confirmation. 

3. Contact Information

• • Personal & Work Email: Helps in matching and facilitating self-service recovery. 

• • Phone Number: Supports multi-factor authentication (MFA) and identity verification. 

4. Role-Based Attributes

• • Affiliation (Student, Faculty, Staff, Contractor, Alumni) in source system: Defines access based on organizational role. 

• • Department & Job Title: Useful for provisioning appropriate permissions. 

5. Enrollment & Employment Status

• • Start and End Dates: Ensures timely provisioning and deprovisioning of access. 

• • Employment Type (Full-time, Part-time, Contractor): Potentially may determine role-based access levels. 

 

Challenges of Poor Attribute Management in IAM 

1. Duplicate Identity Creation
   If IAM systems rely on non-unique attributes (e.g., names or email addresses), duplicate identities may be created, leading to: 

• • Security risks due to orphaned accounts. 

• • Increased IT workload to manually reconcile duplicate records. 

2. Inaccurate Role Assignments
   Without the right attributes, IAM may: 

• • Assign incorrect permissions, exposing sensitive data. 

• • Fail to update access during role transitions, violating least privilege principles. 

3. Delayed or Inconsistent Access Management

• • Employees or students may experience delays in gaining necessary access. 

• • Deprovisioning errors may result in former users retaining access beyond their tenure. 

 

IAM Best Practices for Effective Identity Matching 

1. Establish a Single Source of Truth

• • Define a primary authoritative system (e.g., HR, SIS) for identity attributes. 

• • Integrate with various business processes to ensure accuracy (e.g., background check, etc.) 

• • Regularly synchronize updates across all integrated systems to prevent inconsistencies. 

2. Implement Attribute Validation & Normalization

• • Standardize data formats (e.g., name capitalization, phone number formatting). 

• • Validate uniqueness of key attributes before provisioning accounts. 

3. Use Multi-Attribute Matching

• • Combine multiple data points (e.g., Employee ID + DOB + Email) to improve accuracy. 

• • Prioritize unique identifiers over mutable attributes like names. 

4. Automate Identity Reconciliation

• • Regularly audit and reconcile identity records to detect mismatches. 

• • Implement automated workflows for handling duplicate or conflicting records. 

 

Business & IT Impact of Proper Attribute Management 

1. Improved Security & Compliance

• • Reduces security risks from orphaned or misconfigured accounts. 

• • Ensures compliance with industry regulations (GDPR, HIPAA, NIST). 

2. Increased Operational Efficiency

• • Reduces IT workload related to identity reconciliation and manual corrections. 

• • Enhances the user experience with seamless onboarding and access transitions. 

3. Better Governance & Auditability

• • Provides clear identity traceability across all systems. 

• • Simplifies audit and reporting for regulatory compliance. 

 

Conclusion 

For organizations with multiple authoritative sources, ensuring proper identity matching requires a well-defined strategy that incorporates unique, reliable attributes—especially National ID when possible. By leveraging a structured approach to attribute selection and validation, organizations can enhance security, streamline IT operations, and create a more efficient identity lifecycle management process. 

For more information on how Fischer Identity can help optimize identity matching and IAM processes, contact us to help you achieve these goals.