Abstract:

Identity and Access Management (IAM) has become a foundational element of cloud security as organizations increasingly adopt cloud-based infrastructures. With the shift from traditional network-centric security models to identity-centric architectures, IAM serves as the primary mechanism for ensuring controlled, monitored, and verifiable access to digital resources. This review examines current best practices, emerging trends, and persistent challenges associated with cloud IAM. It synthesizes findings from recent research, industry standards, and cloud provider frameworks to analyze key components of effective IAM, including authentication, authorization, governance, automation, and continuous monitoring. The paper highlights the significance of zero-trust principles, least-privilege access, identity federation, and secure management of machine identities in mitigating security risks in multi-cloud and hybrid environments. The review concludes that integrating automation, policy standardization, and advanced analytics is essential for enhancing resilience, maintaining regulatory compliance, and supporting secure digital transformation in modern cloud ecosystems.