Identity and Access Management

Identity and Access Management (IAM) is the core security component of a system responsible for governing and enforcing access to all system resources. It ensures that only authenticated and authorized entities - whether users, services, or hardware - can interact with applications, data, and infrastructure according to the defined policies.

Core Responsibilities:

• Identity Lifecycle Management: Manages the digital identity of all entities (users, systems, applications), including their creation, provisioning, maintenance, and decommissioning.
• Authentication: Verifies the identity of an entity attempting to access the system (e.g., via passwords, certificates, or protocols).
• Authorisation: Controls what actions an authenticated identity is permitted to perform on specific resources based on assigned roles and policies.
• Access Control Enforcement: Technically enforces authorization decisions across the ecosystem, ensuring access rights are adhered to during operation.

Operational Scope:

The IAM module operates across two primary phases:

• Configuration Phase: The definition and registration of identities, their roles, and their authorized access rights.
• Operation Phase: The real-time execution of identification, authentication, and access control checks based on the configured policies.

In essence, this module centralizes the policy framework and technical mechanisms that secure the system by guaranteeing the principle of least privilege: the right access for the right entity to the right resource.