From January to June 2025, India's Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance sector faced an average of 4.1 million attacks monthly, according to cybersecurity expert Dr. Prashant Mali. India ranks second globally for email-based threats at 6.9% of detections. Third-party vendor reliance has increased supply chain attack risks, as highlighted in the Digital Threat Report 2024 by CERT-In, CSIRT-Fin, and SISA.
Banks collaborate with third-party vendors requiring access to core banking systems for loan servicing, application development, customer support, and payment processing. This enables rapid scaling but introduces security risks without proper technical controls.
Technical Limitations of Traditional Vendor Access Models
Most banking IT infrastructures are architected for internal workforce access, relying on managed endpoints, Active Directory integration, and VPN connectivity. Vendor access violates these assumptions.
Adding external users to Active Directory increases CAL and identity licences. Dedicated Windows VMs for 1:1 VDI require separate OS and RDS licences, creating unsustainable overhead for high-churn vendor populations. Providing devices to contractors adds procurement costs and lifecycle management burden. VPN-based access extends implicit trust to uncontrolled environments, amplifying credential compromise impact, while limiting audit visibility. This creates compliance gaps for PCI-DSS, RBI cybersecurity framework, and ISO 27001 requirements.
Technical Architecture: Session-Level Security Controls
Instead of trusting vendor endpoints, implement session-level enforcement where authentication, authorisation, and data controls are applied at the gateway layer.
LDAP-Based User Access Management: Onboard external users outside Active Directory using LDAP-based identity management, reducing Microsoft licensing costs while enabling rapid provisioning and deprovisioning workflows.
Shared RDS-Based VDI: Use session-based VDI instead of 1:1 dedicated desktops. Multiple vendor users share Windows server infrastructure through Remote Desktop Services sessions.
Agent-Less Access for Vendors: Deploy browser or thin client access requiring no Windows laptop licences. Vendors connect through HTML5-based secure browser sessions.
Linux VDI Where Suitable: Replace Windows desktops with Linux VDI for operational roles wherever business applications support it, eliminating Windows licensing entirely.
Zero Trust Network Access Gateway: Broker all vendor access through a ZTNA gateway acting as a reverse proxy. Applications remain unexposed on public networks. Access is granted only after device posture validation, multi-factor authentication, and geo-location verification.
On-Demand Policy Enforcement: Apply security controls dynamically during active sessions:
- Screenshot and screen-sharing blocking
- Clipboard restriction for copy-paste operations
- Download and file transfer controls
- Session watermarking with username, hostname, and IP address
- Kiosk-mode lockdown restricting device to workspace access only
- URL whitelisting and internet blocking with collaboration tool exceptions
Policies are enforced only when vendors log into the bank's network. Upon sign-out, controls are removed.
Technical Implementation with Accops Digital Workspace
HySecure Gateway brokers access through Zero Trust Network Access, keeping applications private and unexposed. Based on role and risk profile, IT teams provision Windows VDI, Linux VDI, virtual browser sessions, or published web applications. HyID provides biometric multi-factor authentication with geo-location-based access control and device binding.
LDAP and SAML integration enables single sign-on while maintaining external identity management outside Active Directory. Automatic deprovisioning eliminates orphaned accounts when vendors leave. IT teams configure policies for screenshot blocking, clipboard restriction, file download prevention, and session watermarking. Host posture validation scans assess vendor device compliance before granting access.
Benefits for IT Teams and End Users
Benefits for IT Teams
Reduced Licensing Costs: LDAP-based vendor management eliminates Active Directory CAL costs. Shared RDS sessions and Linux VDI reduce Windows licensing overhead.
- Rapid Provisioning: Onboard and offboard vendors instantly without Active Directory dependencies or laptop procurement cycles.
- Granular Security Controls: Enforce screenshot blocking, clipboard restriction, watermarking, and kiosk mode without managing vendor endpoints.
- Complete Audit Visibility: Central logging captures user identity, device details, IP location, session duration, and application access.
Benefits for End Users (Vendor Agents and Contractors)
- Work from Personal Devices: Access banking applications securely using personal or employer-provided devices without requiring bank-issued laptops.
- Seamless Access: Single sign-on and biometric MFA provide frictionless authentication without complex password policies.
- Normal Device Usage: Security policies apply only during active sessions. After sign-out, devices function normally for personal or other work.
- Location Flexibility: Geo-location controls allow access from approved vendor office premises or home environments based on policy configuration.
Implementing Session-Centric Access for Vendor Security
Vendor access in banking requires technical architecture designed for device diversity, identity churn, and zero implicit trust. Session-centric controls shift enforcement from endpoints banks don't control to gateway-layer policies they do, delivering cost optimisation, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency that traditional VPN and VDI models struggle to achieve at scale.