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    Welford IAG

    Ransomware Readiness Begins with Access Control

    Attackers don’t always “break in.” Too often, they simply log in—with over-privileged accounts, unused credentials, or misconfigured entitlements.

    Ransomware readiness begins with access control
    Image: Welford IAG — Identity-first controls that reduce ransomware blast radius

    Ransomware attacks rarely start with malware; they start with access. In many high-profile breaches, attackers exploited over-privileged accounts, unused credentials, or misconfigured entitlements to move laterally, escalate privileges, and deploy ransomware deep within the organisation.

    The Real Root Cause: Gaps in Identity Governance

    Firewalls and endpoint tools matter, but when identities hold standing privileges and entitlements drift from policy, attackers don’t need to “break in”—they can sign in. The root cause is weak governance over who can do what, where, and for how long.

    “Identity is the new perimeter. Governance is the control plane.”

    How Welford IAG Changes the Game

    Welford IAG applies a Zero Trust approach to access by enforcing Just-in-Time (JIT) provisioning—access is granted only when needed, for the minimum necessary duration, and automatically revoked when it’s no longer required.

    • Time-bound access by default: No standing privileges; every grant has a start and an expiry.
    • Policy-driven approvals: Risk-aware workflows that align access with business purpose.
    • Continuous evidence: Every decision, grant, and revoke is auditable—ready for regulators and auditors.

    Autonomous Access Fulfilment—Across Your Full Estate

    What sets Welford IAG apart is its ability to deliver autonomous access fulfilment across legacy systems, cloud platforms, databases, and operating systems. No tickets, no manual intervention, no missed deprovisioning.

    Outcome: By eliminating persistent entitlements and ensuring access is intentional, time-bound, and auditable, Welford IAG significantly reduces the attack surface available to ransomware operators.

    Stop Access Sprawl Before It Starts

    Access sprawl is inevitable without automation. Welford IAG prevents it by continuously reconciling live permissions against policy and automating revocation at source.

    • Automatic deprovisioning: Access is removed immediately when a user changes role or leaves.
    • Rapid containment: If compromise is suspected, high-risk access can be paused or revoked across systems in moments.
    • Privileged visibility: Real-time insight into who has what, why, and for how long.

    Ransomware Protection Starts with Identity

    Malware is the payload, but identity is the pathway. By governing access with precision and automation, organisations can shut down the routes attackers rely on to stage ransomware. Welford IAG provides the control, precision, and automation required to proactively defend against access-based threats before they become breaches.

    Key Outcomes You Can Expect

    • Smaller blast radius and fewer escalation paths.
    • Faster incident response through one-click revoke.
    • Audit-ready evidence of least-privilege and JIT enforcement.
    • Lower operational load—no queues, no ticket chasing.

    — Welford Systems, advancing Identity Governance for a Zero Trust world.