Enterprise IBM i MFA security remains a critical challenge for many organizations. Last week, I met with the CIO of a large manufacturing company who was confident their enterprise was fully protected by multi-factor authentication. “We’ve implemented MFA across our entire infrastructure,” he assured me. Then came the pause. “Well, except for the IBM i systems. Those are… different.”
This conversation echoes what I hear frequently from IT leaders, and it highlights a critical vulnerability in many organizations’ security strategies. The truth is, treating IBM i as a security “island” and depending on “security by obscurity” (hoping no one knows about the IBM i) creates significant risks in today’s interconnected enterprise environment. I know of too many IBM i users who think that because the IBM i is not connected directly to the internet, it is safe. Yet, most of today’s attacks come from inside the company’s internal network, originating from an internal device that has been compromised.
Beyond allowing you to attach your IBM i to the internet, when necessary, it is that final point (internal attacks) that really drives the need for Multifactor Authentication (MFA) MFA will protect you even if an internal user’s machine has been hacked.
The Hidden Costs of IBM i Security Isolation
When IBM i systems operate with separate security protocols, particularly for authentication, organizations face several critical challenges. The most immediate is the creation of security gaps – places where your enterprise-wide security policies suddenly don’t apply. This inconsistency doesn’t just create technical vulnerabilities; it also impacts your organization in several ways:
First, your IBM i becomes an “outlier” in your enterprise security architecture. This means security teams must maintain separate protocols, policies, and monitoring systems just for this platform. It’s inefficient and increases the risk of oversight.
Second, users often need to authenticate twice – once for the network and once for IBM i. This creates friction in the user experience and can lead to resistance from team members who see it as an unnecessary burden.
The Enterprise-Wide MFA Imperative
Modern enterprise security demands a unified approach. Your IBM i systems shouldn’t be exceptions to your security architecture – they should be full participants in it. This is particularly crucial when it comes to MFA implementation.
The challenge many organizations face is that traditional IBM i-specific MFA solutions often operate in isolation.
Breaking Down Integration Barriers
The key to solving this challenge lies in allowing your IBM i to participate fully in your enterprise MFA architecture. This means:
- Taking advantage of the same MFA-based security provided to other platforms
- Eliminating the need for duplicate authentication processes
- Providing consistent security experiences across all platforms
The Business Case for Enterprise-Wide MFA
The benefits of integrating IBM i into your enterprise-wide MFA strategy extend beyond security. Organizations that successfully implement unified MFA solutions see:
- Simplified compliance reporting through standardized authentication logs
- Reduced administrative overhead by eliminating platform-specific security management
- Improved user satisfaction through consistent authentication experiences
- Enhanced security team efficiency with unified monitoring and management
Looking Forward
As we move toward increasingly interconnected systems and zero-trust security models, maintaining platform-specific security solutions becomes increasingly untenable. The future of enterprise security lies in unified, consistent approaches that treat all platforms – including IBM i – as equal participants in the security architecture.
This is why at Eradani, we’ve focused on developing solutions that integrate IBM i with enterprise-wide MFA solutions. Our approach ensures that your IBM i systems can take advantage of the same MFA-based security provided to other platforms in your enterprise, removing the “outlier” status while maintaining the robust security your business requires.
Taking Action
As you evaluate your organization’s MFA strategy, consider these key questions:
- Are all your platforms, including IBM i, integrated into your enterprise MFA solution?
- Can your security team monitor and manage authentication across all platforms from a single interface?
- Are your users experiencing friction from multiple authentication requirements?
- Is your current approach creating additional administrative overhead?
The answers to these questions will help guide your path toward a more unified, efficient, and secure authentication strategy.
Remember, in today’s security landscape, having strong authentication on most of your systems isn’t enough. True security requires consistent, enterprise-wide protection that includes every platform – including your IBM i.
Ready to integrate your IBM i systems into your enterprise-wide MFA security strategy? Eradani can help! We’ll show you how to protect your mission-critical systems while maintaining the robust performance you expect from IBM i. Contact us today to learn more.
