identitymanagement

Identity management refers to the processes, policies, and technologies used to manage digital identities of people, devices, and services across multiple systems. It includes creating, updating, and deactivating identity records, authenticating users, and authorizing access to resources. The goal is secure, convenient access while supporting governance and compliance.

Core components include identity stores (directories), identity providers for authentication, and authorization engines. Federation enables trust across domains, using standards such as SAML, OAuth 2.0, and OpenID Connect. Provisioning and deprovisioning (often via SCIM) automate the lifecycle of accounts.

Access control is implemented with models such as RBAC, ABAC, or policy-based approaches, aiming for least privilege. Authentication methods range from passwords to multi-factor authentication, biometrics, or certificates, with increasing adoption of passwordless options.

Lifecycle management covers onboarding, role changes, and offboarding, including periodic access reviews and attestation. Privileged access management protects high-risk accounts and sessions.

Deployment models vary from on-premises directories to cloud-based IAM and hybrid solutions. Privacy and regulatory considerations (GDPR, HIPAA, sector-specific rules) shape data handling, retention, and auditability.

Trends include zero-trust architectures, identity-centric security, and identity governance and administration as a discipline, focusing on visibility, control, and automation across complex environments.