Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a framework of policies and technologies that ensures the right individuals have the appropriate access to technology resources at the right times and for the right reasons. IAM encompasses the policies, processes, and technologies used to manage digital identities and control access to resources in an organization.
Core Components
- Identity Management: Creation, maintenance, and governance of digital identities
- Authentication: Verification of user identity
- Authorization: Determining what resources users can access
- Account Management: Lifecycle management of user accounts
- Access Control: Enforcement of access policies
- Auditing and Compliance: Tracking and reporting of access activities
Key Features
- Single Sign-On (SSO): Access to multiple applications with one set of credentials
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Additional security layers beyond passwords
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Access based on user roles
- Privileged Access Management (PAM): Management of administrative accounts
- Identity Governance: Management of user access rights and compliance
- Provisioning and Deprovisioning: Automated account lifecycle management
Benefits
- Enhanced Security: Better control over access to resources
- Improved Compliance: Better audit trails and access controls
- Operational Efficiency: Automated account management
- User Experience: Simplified access to applications
- Reduced Risk: Better management of privileged accounts
- Cost Savings: Reduced administrative overhead
Common Use Cases
- Enterprise application access
- Cloud infrastructure security
- Compliance requirements
- Remote workforce access
- Vendor and contractor access
- Privileged account management
- Multi-cloud environments