identity and access management (IAM)
What is IAM?
Identity and Access Management (IAM) is the framework of policies, technologies, and processes that ensures the right individuals in an organization have appropriate access to resources. It helps organizations control who is authenticated (identity) and what they are authorized to do (access).
IAM systems are essential for enforcing least privilege, securing sensitive data, and maintaining compliance with standards like ISO 27001, SOC 2, and HIPAA.
Why IAM matters
Without IAM, organizations struggle to manage user identities and access consistently and securely. As cloud adoption and remote work grow, the importance of having centralized, scalable IAM systems becomes even more critical.
IAM is especially important in cloud environments, where resources are dynamic and widely distributed. Cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud rely on IAM to control access to services, data, and infrastructure - making it essential for securing modern digital environments.
IAM helps:
- Reduce the risk of unauthorized access
- Ensure employees only access what they need
- Improve auditability and compliance
- Enable secure collaboration with third parties
How IAM works
IAM involves:
- Authentication: Verifying a user is who they claim to be, often using usernames and passwords, multi-factor authentication (MFA), or biometrics.
- Authorization: Granting the authenticated user access to the resources they’re allowed to use.
- User provisioning and deprovisioning: Automatically granting or revoking access as users join, move within, or leave the organization.
- Access governance: Monitoring and managing how access is granted, used, and reviewed.
Modern IAM tools often integrate with SSO (Single Sign-On), MFA, directory services (like Active Directory or Entra ID), and cloud applications to manage access seamlessly across environments.
Common IAM vulnerabilities
IAM misconfigurations or oversights can lead to:
- Excessive privileges
- Dormant or orphaned accounts
- Weak or reused passwords
- Lack of MFA for sensitive resources
- Poor audit trails
Threat actors often target IAM weaknesses to gain a foothold in an organization.
How Intruder helps
Intruder helps uncover common IAM misconfigurations and insecure defaults, such as:
- Overly permissive IAM roles or user policies
- Publicly accessible cloud assets tied to mismanaged identities
- Missing or misconfigured MFA policies
- Weak authentication mechanisms
Our continuous scanning highlights risks in your cloud infrastructure, helping security teams quickly identify and fix exposure points.
