How SEDARA’s ASM Strengthens Identity Governance & Compliance for a Financial Organization

Overview

A customer in the financial sector sought stronger visibility into identity risk, password lifecycle governance, and endpoint coverage. With both Active Directory and EDR integrated into Sedara’s Attack Surface Management (ASM) platform, they leveraged ASM’s identity-focused detections to address audit findings, improve security hygiene, and streamline reporting.

Challenge

Regulated organizations face strict oversight around Identity & Access Management (IAM) and password lifecycle controls. This customer was struggling with:

• Inactive and stale user accounts that had not been reviewed
• Passwords set to “never expire”
• Active devices running end-of-life operating systems
• An audit finding requiring proof of periodic access reviews
• No centralized reporting to show auditors ongoing access governance

These issues created both operational and compliance risk.

Key ASM Detections They Rely On

Once ASM was connected, the customer began using several high-value detections:

• Inactive Users
• Stale Users
• Users with Password Set to Never Expire
• Active Devices with End-of-Life Operating Systems

These detections were available instantly once their AD and EDR integrations were active.

Regulatory Alignment

ASM’s identity lifecycle monitoring aligns with multiple oversight frameworks.

NYS DFS 500 (Section 500.07)

Requires “periodic review of access privileges.”

ASM surfaces stale, inactive, and misconfigured accounts — helping them close an audit finding.

FTC Safeguards Rule (GLBA)

Unmanaged or long-unused passwords are considered “persistent risk.”

ASM provides proof of:

• password age tracking
• non-expiring password detection
• active credential governance

FFIEC IAM Guidelines

Emphasize full lifecycle controls: provisioning → maintenance → deprovisioning.

ASM supports this by continuously identifying accounts that require cleanup.

PCI 4.0 (when applicable)

If MFA is not in place, PCI requires strict 90-day password rotation.

ASM highlights non-compliant accounts automatically.

How ASM Solved Their Problem

Once ASM was running, the customer gained the ability to:

• Immediately see inactive, stale, or risky accounts
• Identify all accounts with non-expiring passwords
• Highlight machines running unsupported operating systems
• Export detection data directly for auditors
• Demonstrate continuous access oversight
• Remove manual review processes during audit cycles

What used to be a labor-intensive process became automated and transparent.

Value to the Customer

1. Audit-Ready Reporting

Detection data became their evidence of ongoing identity governance.

2. Faster Remediation

Gaps were found and resolved before auditors identified them.

3. Reduced Regulatory Exposure

Continuous monitoring supported their existing compliance program.

4. Better Identity Hygiene

Eliminated forgotten users, unmanaged passwords, and outdated devices that create avoidable risks.

Key Takeaway

Identity governance isn’t just an IT task — it’s a regulatory expectation. ASM gives organizations continuous visibility into user lifecycle risks, password hygiene issues, and endpoint posture, allowing them to demonstrate active oversight and keep access risk under control.

Learn more about Sedara’s ASM.