Identity and Access Management Flashcards

What is the primary difference between authentication and authorization in an IAM framework?

Answer: Authentication verifies identity; authorization determines permissions

Authentication confirms who a user is, while authorization determines what resources and actions the authenticated user is permitted to access.

Which protocol is primarily used for federated identity management and single sign-on across different organizations?

Answer: SAML

SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) is the primary protocol for federated identity, enabling SSO across organizational boundaries via XML-based assertions.

What is the primary purpose of SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management)?

Answer: To automate user provisioning and deprovisioning across systems

SCIM automates the exchange of user identity information between identity providers and service providers, streamlining provisioning and deprovisioning workflows.

In a Zero Trust architecture, which set of principles governs access decisions?

Answer: Verify explicitly, use least-privilege access, assume breach

Zero Trust operates on verify explicitly (always authenticate and authorize), least-privilege access, and assume breach when designing security controls.

Which access control model uses security labels and clearance levels to enforce access, commonly found in government environments?

Answer: Mandatory Access Control (MAC)

MAC enforces access using system-assigned sensitivity labels and user clearance levels, making it non-discretionary and common in high-security government systems.

What is the primary security risk of using shared accounts in an enterprise environment?

Answer: Inability to perform individual accountability and non-repudiation

Shared accounts prevent attribution of actions to specific individuals, undermining non-repudiation and making forensic investigations unreliable.

What is the security purpose of a Privileged Access Workstation (PAW)?

Answer: To isolate privileged tasks from general-purpose computing to reduce attack surface

PAWs are hardened workstations dedicated exclusively to privileged tasks, preventing exposure of privileged credentials on systems used for risky activities like web browsing.