AWS IAM
AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) lets you securely control access to AWS services and resources. Create users, groups, and roles with fine-grained permissions.
What is IAM? (Simple Explanation)
Think of IAM like a security badge system for a building. Each person (user) and service (role) gets a badge that says exactly which rooms (AWS services) they can enter and what they can do inside.
When Would You Use This?
- Least-privilege access control
- Federated identity for workforce & workloads
- Cross-account access delegation
- Service-to-service authorization
Who Uses IAM?
From startups to enterprises, IAM powers:
What Makes IAM Powerful
Services That Work with IAM
IAM is rarely used alone. It's typically combined with:
Compliance & Security
How AWS IAM fits into major compliance standards:
IAM configuration is audited by CIS Benchmarks 1.5–3.0 for secure cloud defaults.
IAM access controls, encryption, and audit logging map to NIST 800-53 AC, SC, and AU control families.
IAM encryption, access control, and logging support PCI DSS for cardholder data environments.
IAM security, availability, and confidentiality controls evaluated under SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria.
IAM configuration and monitoring controls map to ISO 27001 Annex A information security management.
Ready to secure your IAM configuration?
Pavora continuously monitors your AWS IAM for misconfigurations, compliance violations, and security risks.