IAM (Identity and Access Management) is a class of technologies and processes designed to manage digital user identities and control access to information systems, applications, and infrastructure. IAM systems define who is allowed to sign in, which resources they can access, and what actions they are permitted to perform within those resources.
The primary goal of IAM is to balance security and ease of access. On the one hand, the system must prevent unauthorized access and data breaches; on the other hand, it should not create excessive barriers for employees, partners, and service accounts. IAM is a core component of corporate information security and is used in virtually all modern IT environments.
Core IAM functions
IAM covers the full lifecycle of a digital account. The system manages the creation, modification, and removal of users, as well as the assignment of access rights. This enables centralized control over which users and services can access specific systems and allows access to be revoked in a timely manner when roles change or employees leave the organization.
Key IAM functions include:
- user authentication, including multi-factor authentication
- authorization and access control
- role and access policy management
- auditing and logging of user activities
These mechanisms help reduce risks associated with human error and misconfigured access controls.
How IAM works
At the core of IAM is user identification and identity verification. After successful authentication, the system determines which roles and permissions are assigned to the account and grants access only to authorized resources. All user actions can be logged for subsequent analysis and compliance with security requirements.
IAM systems can operate with both on-premise infrastructure and cloud services. In hybrid environments, they often act as a single access management hub for on-premise systems, clouds, and external applications.
The role of IAM in information security
IAM is considered one of the key elements of the Zero Trust strategy, in which no user or service is trusted by default. Access is granted only after identity verification and strictly within defined permissions. This is especially important for distributed teams, remote access, and work with sensitive data.
Centralized identity management also simplifies compliance with regulatory requirements and internal security policies, as organizations can control and document all access-related operations.
Use cases
IAM is used in corporate IT systems, cloud platforms, data centers, and by service providers. It is applied to manage access for employees, contractors, partners, and automated services. In telecom and enterprise environments, IAM is often integrated with monitoring systems, SIEM platforms, and infrastructure management tools.
IAM is also widely used in B2B services and digital platforms where secure access management is required for large numbers of users with different permission levels.
Benefits of using IAM
Key benefits of implementing IAM include:
- improved information security
- reduced risk of unauthorized access
- centralized management of users and permissions
- simplified auditing and compliance
At the same time, the effectiveness of IAM directly depends on proper configuration of roles, access policies, and account management processes.