Identity governance and administration (IGA) is how an organization manages and proves appropriate access across its systems. It combines provisioning, access reviews, role management, and policy enforcement with the reporting auditors and examiners need. If IAM is the broad framework for managing identities and access, IGA is the governance layer that makes access policy-driven, automated, and audit-ready.
IGA vs. IAM: what is the difference?
IAM is the overall framework for managing digital identities and controlling access. IGA sits on top of IAM and adds governance: it defines access by policy, runs regular reviews to confirm access is appropriate, and documents everything for audits and examinations. In short, IAM manages access, and IGA governs and proves it. See what is IAM.
What does IGA include?
- Provisioning and deprovisioning. Granting access when people join or change roles, and removing it when they leave.
- Access reviews and certifications.Regular confirmation that each person’s access is still appropriate. See what is a user access review.
- Role management. Defining access by role so it is consistent and easy to review. See what is RBAC.
- Policy enforcement. Keeping access aligned with policy over time, and flagging exceptions.
- Reporting. Producing the audit-ready evidence examiners request.
Why IGA matters for banks and credit unions
Community banks and credit unions operate under close regulatory scrutiny and manage access across many systems with lean teams. IGA reduces the risk of stale or excess access, keeps the institution ready for FDIC and NCUA examinations, and cuts the manual effort of proving access is appropriate.
How Provision delivers IGA
Provision brings IGA to community financial institutions across two tiers. Govern adds role-based policy, policy-based reviews, and lifecycle tasks. Automate adds automated provisioning and deprovisioning across your connected systems. Both build on the visibility and reviews in Insight. See the platform.
Frequently asked
Is IGA the same as IAM?
No. IAM manages identities and access. IGA is the governance layer that adds policy, reviews, and audit-ready reporting on top.
Do we need IGA, or is IAM enough?
Most institutions start with IAM basics and add IGA as they mature, because governance and audit evidence become more important as they grow.