Identity Access Management (IAM) is a framework of business processes, policies, and technologies that manages digital identities and controls how identities can be used to access resources.
IAM is used to ensure that the right individuals access the right resources at the right times for the right reasons. Here's a brief explanation of its key components:
1. **Authentication**: This is the process of determining whether someone (or something, like a system) is who they claim to be. This is often accomplished via passwords, two-factor authentication, biometric data, or other methods.
2. **Authorization**: After a user is authenticated, the next step is to determine if they have permission to access the resource they're trying to use. This is often determined based on the role assigned to the user or the rules defined for the resource.
3. **User Management**: IAM systems manage user identities, including the creation, removal, and organization of user profiles. Administrators can assign and revoke rights and permissions, often using a dashboard or control panel.
4. **Single Sign-On (SSO)**: SSO is a feature that allows users to authenticate with one set of credentials and access a suite of related applications. This not only improves the user experience but also enhances security by limiting the use of (and thus exposure of) credentials.
5. **Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)**: MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource.
6. **Identity Federation**: This feature allows users to use the same identity (username, password, etc.) across multiple systems, which is especially helpful in hybrid and cloud environments.
7. **Identity Governance**: This is the policy-based centralized orchestration of user identity management and access control. It helps organizations achieve compliance by providing auditable trails.
By employing IAM, organizations can enhance security, improve productivity, meet compliance requirements, and deliver a better user experience.
