This episode of Techsplainers explores Identity and Access Management (IAM), the cybersecurity discipline that controls who can access what in digital systems. We examine IAM's four foundational pillars—administration, authentication, authorization, and auditing—and how they work together to secure modern organizations. The episode details essential IAM capabilities, including directory services, authentication tools like multi-factor authentication and single sign-on, various access control methods, and specialized functions for privileged accounts and non-human users. With 30% of cyber attacks involving stolen credentials and non-human identities now outnumbering human users 10:1 in enterprises, IAM has evolved from basic IT functionality to a critical security foundation. The discussion concludes by examining emerging trends like identity fabrics that unite disparate systems and how AI is both challenging and enhancing IAM capabilities.

Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/techsplainers

Narrated by Bryan Clark