Tag Archives: okta

Streamlining Federal Identity Management: How Okta Workflows Accelerate Cost Savings for Government 

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The U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) OneGov strategy signals a major shift toward unified, efficient Government operations, breaking down technology silos and enabling agencies to work as a coordinated entity. At the core of this change is the need for modern identity management solutions that can automate complex processes while upholding top security standards. Automation can save agencies time, budget and drive outcomes for tool consolidation efforts. Okta Workflows provides Federal agencies with a no-code automation platform that simplifies identity operations and promotes collaboration across agencies. 

Breaking Down Identity Silos Through No-Code Automation 

Traditional identity management in Government often involves fragmented, manual processes that create operational bottlenecks and security vulnerabilities. Okta Workflows directly addresses these challenges by providing a unified automation engine that connects disparate systems without requiring custom coding. The platform’s pre-built connectors, reusable templates and Application Programming Interface (API) integrations enable agencies to orchestrate identity lifecycle events across multiple applications and cloud environments seamlessly. 

This approach eliminates the need for point solutions and manual workarounds that have historically contributed to siloed operations. By centralizing identity automation, agencies can ensure consistent policy execution across business units while maintaining complete audit trails for compliance reporting. 

Enhancing Cross-Agency Collaboration and Security 

Okta Workflows excels in supporting the OneGov vision of cross-agency collaboration through its robust security framework and automation capabilities. With FedRAMP High authorization and Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 validated cryptography, the platform meets the Government’s most stringent security requirements while enabling streamlined operations. 

The solution automates essential identity processes, including: 

  • Joiner/mover/leaver workflows using Human Resources (HR) data and custom triggers 
  • Complex account creation with automated app assignments based on user attributes such as organizational unit and clearance level 
  • Real-time provisioning and deprovisioning across Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, including Azure AD, Office 365 and Salesforce 

These automated workflows greatly reduce the workload on IT staff by decreasing password-reset tickets and access requests, while ensuring consistent policy enforcement across all systems. 

Accelerating Productivity While Maintaining Security Standards 

Government agencies face mounting pressure to deliver services more efficiently while maintaining strict security protocols. Okta Workflows addresses this challenge by dramatically reducing the time and effort required for routine identity management tasks. The platform’s automation capabilities free IT personnel from repetitive administrative work, allowing them to focus on mission-critical initiatives. 

The solution’s alignment with Zero Trust principles further enhances security posture by enforcing least privilege access, enabling continuous authentication and providing automated deprovisioning capabilities. This ensures that access rights are consistently managed throughout the user lifecycle, reducing security risks associated with delayed access revocations when personnel change roles or leave the organization. 

Simplified Procurement and Deployment 

Recognizing that Federal agencies often operate with limited technical resources, Okta Workflows is designed for rapid deployment and easy adoption. The no-code interface enables teams to build and implement identity automation processes without specialized programming skills. Pre-built templates and connectors accelerate time to value while minimizing the technical burden on agency staff. 

The solution is readily accessible through the General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule, providing Federal buyers with a compliant procurement path featuring pre-negotiated pricing and terms. This streamlined approach eliminates lengthy contract negotiations and enables agencies to acquire the tools needed to support their modernization objectives quickly. Carahsoft and Okta have collaborated to ensure the solution is available across major contracting vehicles with pricing structured to deliver optimal value, including: 

  • GSA 
  • Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP)  
  • Information Technology Enterprise Solutions (ITES)  
  • 2nd Generation Information Technology (2GIT) 

Supporting the Modern Federal Workforce 

As Government agencies continue their digital transformation journey, the need for sophisticated yet accessible automation tools has become increasingly critical. Okta Workflows provides the foundation for agencies to modernize their identity operations while supporting the broader OneGov vision of unified, efficient Government services. 

The platform’s combination of enterprise-grade security, intuitive automation capabilities and seamless integration with existing Government systems positions it as an ideal solution for agencies seeking to enhance productivity while maintaining strict compliance requirements.  

Ready to transform your agency’s identity management and join the OneGov movement? Contact our Okta team at Carahsoft today or call us at (833) 674-3990 to learn more and take advantage of this limited-time offer. 

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Okta we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Socure, Okta, and Carahsoft: Pioneering a New Era in Government Identity Verification

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Digital-first experiences are a top priority across every level of government to improve service delivery, simplify user experiences, and rebuild trust with the American public. At the same time, agencies must defend against ever-present threats of identity theft, fraudulent accounts, and account takeovers. That’s why advanced digital Identity verification and strong authentication are essential for modern government services.

At Socure, we are excited to announce a transformative partnership with Okta and Carahsoft Technology Corp., which marks a significant advancement in our mission to enhance digital identity verification across the public sector. This collaboration aims to deliver a FedRAMP & StateRAMP compliant identity solution, ushering in a new era of security and efficiency for federal, state, and local government agencies.

Socure Okta Partnership Identity Management Blog Embedded Image 2024

The integration of Socure’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning-enabled ID+ platform with Okta’s adaptive multi-factor authentication, best-in-class compliance and security features, and modern, frictionless cloud infrastructure creates a powerhouse capable of addressing some of the most pressing challenges faced by government agencies today—especially in its efforts to combat sophisticated identity fraud. Our joint solutions now offer government agencies at all levels scalable, simple, and secure identity solutions built for the modern era. Achieving accurate and inclusive digital identity verification is critical to accelerating government service delivery for vital programs.

Digital transformation in government services is not just about upgrading technology—it’s about ensuring that these technologies offer secure, seamless, and inclusive access to the public. This is where our partnership becomes crucial. Socure’s ID+ platform, recognized for its high accuracy and inclusivity in identity verification, complements Okta’s expertise in secure access and adaptive multi-factor authentication. Together, we are setting new standards for what digital interactions in the public sector should look like.

Our joint solution provides government agencies with tools that are not only top-notch in security but also designed to enhance the user experience. By reducing friction and simplifying processes, we make it easier for the public to access vital services, from social benefits to healthcare, without compromising on security. This approach helps to build a stronger, more trusting relationship between the government and the public, which is essential in today’s digital age. We recently produced a joint webinar in which you can listen to the recording here.

For example, Socure’s predictive analytics platform goes beyond traditional identity checks by analyzing a broad range of data points, from physical documents to digital footprints. This allows for real-time verification that is both thorough and efficient. Okta’s Universal Directory and Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication add another layer of security, ensuring that only legitimate users can access sensitive information.

At a time when digitizing benefits delivery is needed to reach large subsets of the population and bolstering public trust in government services is paramount, these solutions work together to provide key benefits, including:

  • Auto-approval of more eligible individuals (98% for mainstream populations and up to 94% for hard-to-identify populations, including Gen Z, millennial and new-to-country individuals)
  • More effective fraud prevention, capturing 90% of third-party identity fraud in the riskiest 3% of users
  • Reduction of manual reviews with fully automated identity verification and fraud prevention, with a response in milliseconds
  • Fast time-to-value with easy, secure connections across a variety of applications and on the cloud
  • Comprehensive approach to security with audited infrastructure and process
  • Reduction of the burden of password management with simple, passwordless MFA options
  • A variety of flexible authentication options that nearly everyone can use

By pooling our capabilities, we will help reduce the cost, burden, and friction generated by today’s pervasive attacks and deliver a better consumer experience without making it harder for people to interact with government services.

Watch our webinar to learn more about how successfully verifying identity requires a multi-layered approach.

Google and Okta Partner to Modernize Identity Management in Higher Education

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Online collaboration is an essential part of the workplace and the educational sphere. To ensure this collaboration is done securely, Okta and Google have partnered to enhance and automate identity management at scale.

Okta is a neutral, AI powered, extensive platform that puts identity at the heart of any IT stack. No matter the industry, use case or level of support needed, Okta facilitates Identity Access Management (IAM) while keeping security at the core of the integration. Google Workspace is a collection of collaboration tools, and with more than three billion users, it aims to meaningfully connect users to facilitate partnerships and growth. While identity management can be complex, it does not need to be. Together, this partnership makes the path towards modern identity management as neutral, simple, secure and straightforward as possible.

With their recent partnership, customers can now:

  • Automate identity processes at scale
  • Unlock productivity with optimal security
  • Collaborate with each other, seamlessly and securely
  • Use their Google credentials across over 7,500 different apps
  • Gain cross-platform login privileges across Google Workspace and Okta
  • Access accounts with new, simplified user permissions and automated access management

Every organization strives to modernize and adopt cloud technology. This is also true within the higher education market, which is continuing to refine the trend of remote and hybrid learning following the pandemic. The applications and resource solutions that Google provides to higher education, along with the integration of Okta’s IAM capabilities, is immensely beneficial to the agency’s journey in adapting modern cloud technology and security.

Leading the Modernization of Identity Management in Education

Okat Google Higher Education Partnership Blog Embedded Image 2024

With the influx of hybrid and online learning, higher educational institutions are still learning how to orient solutions towards online learning and teaching. From an IAM perspective, higher education is one of the most complex environments with regards to the vast array of users. Within one network, an institution has faculty, staff, professors and a yearly lifecycle of students that range from applicants to alumni. The process of onboarding and offboarding students and faculty can be time consuming and requires multiple digital programs to facilitate. Okta provides a frictionless onboarding and offboarding experience for administrations that deal with changes in the student body. There are also external users such as partners, contractors and subcontractors, such as medical centers and food providers, that universities must consider. Okta’s open, neutral and independent identity platform can integrate with technologies commonly used by institutions, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Student Information System (SIS), allowing universities to build off of software they are already using. Depending on the role of the individual accessing the software, the identity gains access to personalized experiences.

Okta offers the capability to combine and manage various groups and processes in a single, secure platform. The partnership between Okta and Google enhances the student experience from their perspective, too. Okta’s single platform can solve student-specific challenges, such as managing multiple accounts and logins across an array of learning tools, enabling smoother daily operations and access. With cross platform log in, students can securely access Google Chatroom and Classroom features with IAM capabilities. By implementing Google Cloud capabilities into daily functions, higher education institutions can create a more modern experience for students while reducing costs. For example, artificial intelligence (AI) virtual agents are used to answer student questions and direct them to services, and mobile apps are utilized for mental health check-ins and other well-being services.

How Okta and Google uphold Zero Trust and Cybersecurity

Identity is one of the key pillars within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)’s Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA). Okta upholds Zero Trust principles by ensuring that through methods such as multi factor authentication, the person gaining access is who they say they are. By only allowing access to devices that are up to date, Okta prevents bad actors from hacking older systems with commonly known security vulnerabilities. By sustaining a strong ZTA baseline, Google and Okta establish a secure experience for students, staff and faculty.

Okta gives customers a neutral, powerful and extensible platform that puts identity at the heart of information technology (IT) stacks. No matter what industry, use case or level of support is needed, Okta has customers covered. Okta and Google integrate with technology partners, alliance partners and vendors to uphold and exemplify security principles. In doing so, they ensure that every user on campus networks are safe and secure.

To learn more about Okta and Google’s partnership and the benefits to cloud and IAM security, visit the Carahsoft-hosted webinar on the company’s newfound partnership: Securing Productivity with Google Workspace + Okta.

Contact our Okta solutions experts today to discover the power of Okta and Google together, and how these industry leading organizations can support your higher education initiatives.

Improving Government CX Services to Build Trust Amongst Customers

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In the Private Sector, customer experience (CX) is characterized by applications that serve as a single-stop service for customers. These expectations have trickled from the commercial digital world into the Public Sector, with the exception that co-designing services that keep up with the public’s needs and priorities is non-negotiable to rebuilding trust. High Impact Service Providers (HISPs), Federal agencies that the Government has deemed as having critical value due to their public-facing services, aim to mimic the single-stop layout by creating an all-encompassing CX in the Public Sector. This way, the public sees the Government as seamless and unified, and different Government agencies as parallel to each other.

Customer Experience Built on Trust

Unifying services can reduce challenges the public faces when accessing them. Time is lost due to slow modernization that would otherwise improve interactions with customers. In the past, to access services, individuals may need to take off work, which may lose them income. They may need to travel to a far location, may forget vital documents at home or may have to account for child care. These considerations which come at the expense of the public can be attributed to a “time tax” that burdens Government customers. However, with the shift to online services, customers can update their information quickly and easily on their own time. It is important to note that HISPs are moving to a digital-first, but not digital-only strategy. This means that although all services will be provided online, there will still be in-person options for those who do not have access to a dependable connection or for services that can require in-person help. By providing a variety of reliable, time and cost-effective services, Government agencies can ease usability and build trust with customers.

Okta HISP Customer Experience Series Blog Embedded Image 2024

Agencies with new, modernized websites can build trust in the Government. Conversely, a rushed website with too much downtime can lead to a user’s inability to access essential capabilities. Not every agency has a Customer Experience Officer to help roll out improved CX strategies. Various agencies may be set up differently regarding reporting structure, which complicates counsel. A driver of HISP and other government-wide CX initiatives, the Office of Management Budget (OMB), has released digital experience guidance related to Memorandum M-23-22. With this initiative, the OMB will help agencies choose which public-facing items to invest in and which digital services to optimize for prime CX.  

A fundamental part of CX is the people who provide services. To truly improve customer service, agencies must first improve their employee experience. This means providing secure access to a variety of work models: virtual or in-person, temporary, seasonal or full-time, contractor or agency related. Once agencies understand how to provide a uniform experience across a diverse portfolio of workforces, agencies can train employees to provide uniform CX across a diverse array of customers. 

Technology also plays a key role in the Government’s hope of a trust-filled relationship with those they serve. Consistent branding is one powerful way to unite HISPs across the Government. This can look like each agency placing its logo in the same area of its website. Another way is one authentication mechanism for members of the public to access both their Government account and servicer website. 

A Unified Login

A cornerstone of the Federal Government’s idea around modernizing CX is that there is a simple way for people to access Government services across multiple devices. Login.gov is putting that idea into practice. To shift online, the Government must provide a secure access method for every customer with a goal to move past the need for passwords. The modern generation of customers expect technological services to be available on multiple devices. They also prefer the ability to take a break and pick up where they left off, which requires behavioral analytics to protect users. Each agency will also be required to offer phishing resistant multi factor authentication (MFA) as an option for public users. With proper Identity and Access Management (IAM), whether in the form of single sign on (SSO) or biometric methods to log in, an app can verify that the user accessing sensitive information is the desired recipient. This way, users can gain easy, secure access to their services and information and agencies gain relevant context at the application level that follows Zero Trust principles. 

Empowering CX with IAM

Okta, the leading independent Identity partner, understands that IAM is an integral part of ensuring services are simple, seamless and secure. Furthermore, IAM services can still center CX. Okta has created human-centered design challenge cards to help agencies redesign experiences based on user needs and CX metrics. By synthesizing CX, secure and proper IAM and modern capabilities, the Federal Government can help build trust with the new era of customers. 

To learn more about how Okta’s IAM capabilities aid CX in the Federal Government, watch my interview with Federal News Network to gain insight on building trust with customers. To learn more about how Government agencies can build trust with their customers and improve customer services, view content from Carahsoft’s Government Customer Experience & Engagement Summit. 

Okta and ServiceNow: Modernizing Public Sector Operations

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Federal, state, and local agencies and educational institutions are facing a surge in targeted cyberattacks. With increasing return-to-office mandates, they face further challenges balancing security with the need to deliver frictionless experiences for users and systems, both within and beyond the premises of agencies and campuses. Public sector organizations can lean further on industry partners to help them modernize operations to improve cybersecurity, support distributed workforces and users, remain compliant with audit and policy mandates, and, ultimately, better serve the public.

Roadblocks to Modernization

To modernize operations, agencies and institutions need to transition from legacy systems to cloud-based tools. Creating collaborative, seamless, and secure work environments that not only attract and retain top talent but also comply with key audit and policy mandates is necessary.

But building this kind of robust environment that can securely support mission-critical work isn’t easy.

Okta ServiceNow Modernizing Public Sector Operations Blog Embedded Image 2023

For one, as the public sector implements cloud-based tools that deliver modern, continuous digital services, they must also ensure the new technology works seamlessly alongside existing processes. And securing work environments both in-office and remotely has never been more challenging, with a 40% increase in cyberattacks against government and public service organizations from Q2 2023 to Q3 2023. Unfortunately, busy IT teams’ resources are too often spent completing manual work instead of implementing changes needed to focus on the high-value work that propels their missions.

How Okta and ServiceNow Solutions Help With Modernization and Automation

Okta and ServiceNow solutions enable agencies and institutions to overcome these obstacles by providing tools that enhance security, modernize operations, comply with strategic policies, and improve service delivery to meet critical mission goals.

Together, Okta and ServiceNow help with:

  • Identity and access management: A centralized Identity solution offers a complete view of users and phishing-resistant authentication to protect accounts from cyberattacks and least-privilege access. This gives users just the right access at the right time for the right purposes.
  • User lifecycle and workflow automation: Advanced algorithms and customizable templates streamline onboarding and offboarding for IT teams, reducing time-consuming work, eliminating manual, repetitive tasks, and increasing productivity.
  • Compliance and policy oversight: Detailed logs and refined reporting capabilities perform automated compliance checks, and policy enforcement mechanisms help reduce the risk of non-compliance.
  • No-code automation: No-code/low-code automation enables IT teams to quickly launch modern services while still adhering to Zero Trust integrations.
  • Risk management and monitoring: Advanced analytics and real-time reporting enable continuous visibility of all systems, improving service availability and accelerating incident response that can better protect the sensitive information of public sector organizations.
  • System integration: API management and middleware tools enable seamless integration with automated data exchange to improve communication and reduce errors.

Why Okta and ServiceNow are Better Together

These solutions combine ServiceNow’s expertise in policy and compliance management and internal and vendor risk management with Okta’s expertise in Identity and access management, such as single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA).

More specifically, with a rich, bidirectional integration, Okta and ServiceNow work seamlessly together, empowering public sector organizations to modernize and automate their services to support their evolving missions with:

  • Okta Integration Network (OIN)
  • ServiceNow Security Incident Module
  • StateRAMP Ready authorization
  • FedRAMP High authorization
  • Department of Defense Impact Level (IL) 4 and IL5 workloads

Contact our team today to learn more about about how, together, Okta and ServiceNow provide the public sector with an open, future-ready platform to automate, secure, orchestrate, and simplify their workflows.

Okta and GovSlack Bring Digital-first Environment to Government

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Digital transformation is all around us. From how we shop to where we work, digital-first environments are the new normal. While the private sector quickly adopted collaborative, digital workspaces, the pace is a bit slower for government agencies – and for good reason.

Higher levels of security and compliance are required in government work, yet agencies still feel limited by the legacy systems in place. To transform into a digital-first workspace that promotes collaboration and improves communication among agencies and contractors, government agencies need flexible, inclusive technology that doesn’t sacrifice cybersecurity.

Modernize with a digital command center

Okta + GovSlack Digital-first Environment to Government Blog Embedded Image 2023

Okta integrates with GovSlack to help the government modernize how work gets done. The centralized digital headquarters provides frictionless, secure access and helps agencies increase productivity, security, governance, and end-to-end workflows.

GovSlack was launched to allow for secure collaboration. Okta’s Identity and access management (IAM) policies throughout GovSlack meet the security and compliance needs of intra- and cross-functional government teams and contractors.

Top five reasons to modernize with Okta and GovSlack

Here are some of the top reasons agencies can benefit from the Okta and GovSlack solutions:

  1. Share information with external agencies and contractors in real time: Slack Connect allows agencies to extend the benefits of their centralized, digital workspace to both internal and external team members in real time. This helps reduce the need for meetings and follow-ups. Okta’s IAM capabilities throughout the platform remove siloed Identity security across the extended enterprise.
  2. Access growing library of integrations: Okta’s secure and seamless integration with GovSlack and a growing number of high-security versions of the most commonly used business applications protect the government’s highest-value assets.
  3. Meet strict compliance and security requirements: Okta’s FedRAMP Moderate Identity solution includes features and capabilities available throughout GovSlack that are designed to strengthen the security posture of government agencies. Okta’s trusted security capabilities meet Zero Trust architecture (ZTA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA’s) Identity pillar, helping agencies bridge on-premises assets to the cloud with a unified and automated Identity-driven access layer.
  4. Create a frictionless workforce experience: IAM tools from Okta, like phishing-resistant Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and biometrics, allow users to easily access the secure platform from any location or device. Granting permissions and access controls at scale is simple through GovSlack’s enterprise-grade admin dashboard.
  5. Launch into the future of modern work: With security measures offered by Okta and GovSlack, agencies can incorporate a secure, cloud-based digital headquarters into all aspects of their daily work. With a secure digital workspace in place, agencies can reduce time spent building on-premises solutions, breaking down information silos, improving collaboration internally and externally, and opening the door to more possibilities when all stakeholders have access to the same workspace.

Download our Solution Brief to learn more about Okta, the federal Identity solution for high-impact applications, and GovSlack, the designated “digital headquarters” for many government agencies.