What is the primary purpose of identity management?

The primary purpose of identity management is to establish user authentication and access controls, as it ensures that only authorized individuals gain access to specific resources and systems. This involves a range of processes and technologies that help organizations verify the identity of users before granting them access to sensitive information and systems. Proper identity management not only enhances security by mitigating unauthorized access but also streamlines user roles and permissions within an organization.

Identity management systems typically incorporate methods such as single sign-on (SSO), multifactor authentication, and role-based access controls (RBAC). These mechanisms are critical for maintaining the integrity of an organization’s data and systems by ensuring that users can only interact with the resources relevant to their roles, thereby minimizing the risk of data breaches and compliance violations.

While tracking user device usage, protecting against malware attacks, and enforcing data encryption standards play important roles in the broader cybersecurity strategy, they are not the central focus of identity management. Instead, they relate to other aspects of security and data protection.