iams

Identity and Access Management systems (IAMs) are frameworks of people, processes, and technologies designed to manage digital identities and regulate user access to information resources within an organization. IAMs aim to ensure that the right individuals have the appropriate access to technology resources for the right reasons and at the right times, while maintaining security and compliance.

Key functions include identity lifecycle management (provisioning and deprovisioning accounts), authentication (verifying user identities), authorization (granting access according to policies), and auditing (logging and reporting to support monitoring and regulatory requirements). IAMs support access governance, entitlement management, and the enforcement of least privilege. Core components include identity repositories, authentication methods, policy-based authorization, and entitlement management, as well as support for federation and single sign-on.

Standards and deployment models commonly associated with IAMs include RBAC and ABAC for access control, SCIM for provisioning, and SAML, OAuth 2.0, and OpenID Connect for authentication and federation. IAMs can be deployed on premises, as cloud-based services (often described as identity as a service), or in hybrid configurations, and they commonly integrate with directories and applications such as Active Directory, LDAP, and cloud platforms.

Benefits of IAMs include improved security, enhanced regulatory compliance, streamlined user lifecycle management, and a better user experience through features like single sign-on. Challenges can include integration complexity, governance across diverse systems, data privacy considerations, scaling, and the risk of central points of failure.

Common examples of IAM platforms and providers include Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, Ping Identity, Oracle Identity Management, and IBM Security Verify. See also identity governance, multifactor authentication, and access control.