IAM

Definition

Identity and Access Management - AWS service that controls who can access what resources, ensuring security and compliance in cloud environments.

Use Cases

• Capital One: Zero Trust Security — Implements least-privilege IAM policies for 50,000+ employees (Reduced security incidents by 70% after IAM modernization)

Provider Equivalents

• AWS: IAM (Identity and Access Management)
• Azure: Azure Active Directory / Entra ID
• GCP: Cloud IAM
• OCI: Identity and Access Management

Frequently Asked Questions

What is IAM least privilege?

Least privilege means granting only the minimum permissions needed. Start with no access and add specific permissions as required.

How do I organize IAM roles?

Use role-based access control (RBAC) with groups. Create roles for job functions (Developer, Admin, ReadOnly) rather than individual users.

Category: security

Difficulty: intermediate

See Also

• Encryption
• Password
• Firewall
• CloudTrail
• Active Directory