Organizations have embraced cloud computing for many aspects of their IT infrastructure, but Active Directory (AD) often remains firmly on-premises, which requires frequent synchronization of AD users and privileges into the cloud environment.

Why wouldn’t they switch to a cloud directory service? AD is so core to IT functionality, that there’s still a strong preference to keep it on-premises, largely because of the financial and technical difficulty of switching to alternatives – it creates a pressing challenge. Users need rapid access to a sprawling array of cloud apps but are held back by an on-premises directory service. But not just that: revocation of user privileges is also a concern.

Syncing infrequently creates plenty of hazards, but regular batch synchronization isn’t ideal either. Let’s discuss why synchronization delays in your AD directory to the cloud can impact both user experience and security posture – and how near real-time synchronization helps close the gap.

What happens when synchronization is irregular?

Infrequent or intermittent synchronization creates a disconnect between AD and the cloud apps your workforce uses. The risk: exposure to security threats, compliance violations, and operational inefficiencies.

Productivity and user experience

Slow synchronization can hold your organization back. New hires can’t get quick access to the tools they need for the job, and existing staff members are left waiting unnecessarily when they require a new tool.

It also leads to a higher burden on IT admins. Slow synchronization implies manual provisioning and de-provisioning of user access, which is a time-consuming process prone to human error. It takes time away from IT staff who could focus on more strategic tasks.

Impact on security posture and compliance

Arguably, the bigger concern is security and compliance. Intermittent synchronization creates a risk of lingering access where terminated employees retain access to sensitive data. This significantly increases the risk of insider threats, account takeovers, lateral movement and breaches.

Intermittent synchronization also delays the de-provisioning of privileges, which creates a window of vulnerability that malicious actors can exploit.

It could also leave your organization in breach of its compliance obligations. Heavily delayed synchronization implies inconsistent enforcement of access policies, because services outside of AD drift out of date.

Data protection and privacy regulations (such as GDPR and HIPAA) contain strict auditing and enforcement requirements. Out-of-date directory data could result in hefty fines and reputational damage.

Batch or time-based sync works – but there are pitfalls

Batch or time-based sync is a step forward, but it is not without its drawbacks. Batch sync creates, as a functional minimum, some level of synchronization at a predictable pace. This removes many previously listed concerns. For example, new hires can be confident that they have full access to their software toolset by the next day.

Similarly, system administrators no longer need to regularly intervene to set up access rights – as long as the user is able to wait, say, a day. Yet, batch sync often doesn’t go far enough in helping to mitigate security risks.

While batch or time-based synchronization offers some improvement over entirely manual processes, it still comes with inherent drawbacks:

• Latency: Changes to user access, such as new hires, role changes or terminations, are not reflected immediately. The “gap in access” remains, which still impacts the user experience – and can sometimes leave just enough time for a security threat to evolve.
• Synchronization windows: Batch processes often require specific time windows for execution, potentially disrupting operations or requiring off-hours scheduling to minimize impact.
• Data inconsistencies: Updates to user information might not be propagated across all systems in a timely manner. The inconsistencies in permissions, roles and access may cause errors, hinder productivity, create security vulnerabilities and introduce compliance challenges.

It is not uncommon to see an employee being terminated but retaining access to critical systems for hours until the next scheduled sync. That may not always be cause for concern – but would be a problem if the termination was under difficult circumstances, in which case, lingering access would create a substantial security risk.

How does real-time directory sync work?

Clearly, regular batch syncing is an improvement over irregular synchronization or unsound synchronization, but it’s not perfect.

Synchronization that happens in near real-time closes the gap. It ensures that changes to AD entry for a user are almost immediately reflected across all impacted applications and services. Benefits of near real-time synchronization include:

• Near immediate user provisioning: New users gain access to applications in milliseconds, eliminating delays and boosting productivity because there is almost no waiting period.
• Almost instantaneous de-provisioning: Revoking access is equally rapid, occurring in milliseconds. When a user is disabled or removed from the directory, their access to all connected applications is quickly terminated, further enhancing security and compliance.
• Real-time role and attribute mapping: User roles and attributes are synchronized in real-time, ensuring accurate provisioning into applications and eliminating the need for manual adjustments. This streamlines user management and reduces administrative overhead.
• Active session termination: Real-time de-provisioning extends to active user sessions. If supported by the application, users are automatically logged out upon being disabling in the directory, preventing unauthorized access even if a session remains open on a device. This adds an extra layer of security, especially for sensitive data.

It’s not hard to see why processing directory synchronization in as close to real time as possible leaves less room for security gaps or compliance violations and dramatically minimizes the burden on admin teams.

What are the benefits of near real-time AD sync?

Near real-time synchronization with AD offers significant advantages for both operational efficiency and security posture. Let’s look at the operational benefits first. For administrators and users, real-time sync provides the benefit of:

• Immediate access: New employees gain access to necessary resources almost instantly, improving productivity and reducing downtime associated with waiting for account provisioning.
• Seamless onboarding and offboarding: Real-time sync streamlines user lifecycle management. New hires are productive from day one, and departures are handled swiftly, minimizing security risks.
• Operational efficiency: Automation through real-time sync further reduces manual effort, minimizing errors and freeing up IT staff for other tasks. This is particularly valuable for organizations with high employee turnover or frequent changes in user access.

But arguably, the larger benefit is around cybersecurity posture. Organizations that sync AD and cloud app directory services in real-time benefit from:

• Preventing lingering access: Real-time de-provisioning eliminates the risk of former employees retaining access to applications, even if they are still logged in. This is crucial for maintaining security and compliance.
• Maintain compliance: Real-time sync helps organizations meet regulatory requirements by enforcing access policies and providing accurate user records.
• Rapid response to threats: Real-time sync also enables immediate deactivation of compromised accounts, minimizing damage from security incidents and preventing lateral movement by attackers.

Synchronizing AD to the cloud in real-time is essential for any organization with frequent user changes. It ensures that access rights are always up to date, further closing the cybersecurity gap while reducing the efforts of security teams.

Working with OneLogin AD Sync

OneLogin’s Active Directory Sync is a seamless and efficient way to manage user identities and access across your organization’s applications.

By establishing a near real-time connection between your on-premises AD and the OneLogin cloud directory, AD Sync automates user provisioning and de-provisioning, ensuring that cloud rights and privileges are always current.

It also eliminates the need for manual updates and reduces the risk of errors, freeing up IT resources and improving overall security.

With OneLogin AD Sync, any changes made in your Active Directory, such as adding new users, modifying attributes or deactivating accounts, are instantly reflected in OneLogin and propagated to connected applications.

OneLogin’s extensive application catalog, with over 6,000 pre-integrated applications, ensures seamless integration with your existing SaaS portfolio – with rapid configuration.

In this video, we demonstrate how simple it is to set up real-time sync with OneLogin.