Identity Mapping and Orphan Accounts

  • Identity mapping is the process of linking accounts in applications, which may exist in different formats, to an authoritative identity in a human resources or operational directory.
  • Orphan accounts are application accounts or identities that are not linked to any authoritative identity.
  • Orphan accounts can create two types of security risk:
    • If the account owner has left the organization, the account can be misused and create significant risk because unusual activity cannot be identified by an active owner.
    • Orphan accounts cannot be reliably disabled when their owner leaves because the owner no longer has a connection to the account.