IAM: Digital Identity, SSO, and Federated Access
Identity and Access Management (IAM) is the security framework that ensures the right individuals and entities can access the right resources at the right time and for the right reasons. IAM systems manage the entire digital identity lifecycle, from creation and authentication to authorization and eventual deactivation, utilizing technologies like Single Sign-On and federated standards to enhance security and user experience across multiple systems.
Key Takeaways
Digital identity links real-world characteristics to online actions and reputation.
IAM systems rely fundamentally on confidentiality, integrity, and availability principles.
SSO simplifies access but centralizes risk if the primary credentials are stolen.
Federated identity delegates authentication using secure tokens, not original credentials.
What is digital identity and how is its lifecycle managed?
Digital identity is defined as the unique set of characteristics associated with individuals or organizations, intrinsically linked to their information and actions (traces) across the internet. This identity must correspond accurately to the real-world identity, requiring rigorous validation and authentication processes to ensure equivalence and trust. Managing this identity involves a defined lifecycle, ensuring secure creation, active use, and proper termination when access is no longer required. The evolution of digital identity increasingly incorporates physical attributes, such as biometrics, to strengthen verification methods and enhance security protocols throughout the entire lifecycle.
- Definition and Scope: A unique set of characteristics for people or organizations, tied to online information and actions (trazas) generated during digital interactions.
- Correspondence: Digital actions significantly affect real-world reputation and vice versa, necessitating validation and authentication to establish true equivalence between the identities.
- Elements and Characteristics: Includes transactional data, search history, nicknames/avatars, and is linked via digital identifiers and passwords, with a growing trend toward biometric attributes.
- Lifecycle: Involves Creation (system registration, often requiring authentication methods like passwords, electronic certificates, or Single Sign-On), Usage (active session management, typically via cookies), and System Deactivation (manual or automatic removal of the identity).
What core security principles govern Identity Management Systems (IMS)?
Identity Management Systems (IMS) are built upon fundamental security principles to protect user data and control access effectively. These systems must ensure that only authorized users can view sensitive information (Confidentiality), that the data remains accurate and unaltered (Integrity), and that the resources are accessible when needed (Disponibilidad). IMS enforce strict checks, primarily focusing on verifying the user's identity through authentication and determining the specific permissions granted through access control mechanisms, thereby maintaining a secure environment for digital interactions.
- Basic Security Principles: Confidentiality (protecting data from unauthorized access), Availability (ensuring resources are accessible), and Integrity (maintaining data accuracy) are essential pillars for secure identity management.
- Required Checks: Verification of the identity (Authentication) using methods such as traditional username and password combinations or more robust Multi-Factor Authentication.
- Authorization Level Check: Determining the appropriate level of access (Control de Acceso) a verified user is permitted to have within the system based on their role and permissions.
How does Single Sign-On (SSO) work and what are its trade-offs?
Single Sign-On (SSO) allows a user to authenticate once and gain access to multiple related systems without needing to re-enter credentials for each application. The SSO system translates the initial authentication into credentials recognized by various applications, significantly reducing 'password fatigue' and mitigating risks associated with managing multiple third-party site logins. However, this convenience introduces a critical security risk: if the central SSO credentials are compromised, an attacker gains immediate access to all linked systems. Furthermore, a loss of availability in the central SSO service blocks all user access across the entire ecosystem.
- Definition: A single authentication grants access to several related systems, with the SSO mechanism translating the initial credentials for use by each application.
- Advantages: Mitigates risk from managing numerous third-party site credentials, substantially reduces user password fatigue, and lowers overall system maintenance costs.
- Disadvantages: Theft of the primary credentials provides immediate, comprehensive access to all systems; loss of SSO availability blocks access to all dependent systems.
- Types and Standards:
- Enterprise SSO (E-SSO) / Legacy SSO: Achieves primary authentication by intercepting system requirements.
- Web-SSO (WAM): Utilizes a Reverse Proxy to mask the server, meaning it does not require modification of the protected applications.
- Kerberos: An MIT protocol based on symmetric keys, using a Ticket-Granting Ticket (TGT) and Service Ticket (ST) for authentication. Disadvantages include exposure if the Key Distribution Center (KDC) is accessed and the requirement to modify applications.
What defines Federated Identity Management and what standards are used?
Federated Identity Management involves inter-organizational identity management where authentication is delegated to a trusted Identity Provider (IdP) or Security Token Service (STS). This system allows users to access services across different domains using a single set of credentials, without the service provider ever seeing the original password. The IdP issues secure tokens containing only identity information, not the original credentials, ensuring privacy and limited access. Key standards like OpenID Connect (OIDC), which is built upon OAuth 2.0, facilitate this secure, delegated access, defining specific roles and authorization grant types to manage access permissions effectively.
- Concept: Interdependent identity management between organizations, delegating authentication to an Identity Provider (IdP/STS). The IdP issues tokens containing identity information, not the original user credentials.
- OpenID: OpenID Connect (OIDC) is the modern standard, replacing OpenID 2.0. It is based on API RESTful architecture and integrates with OAuth 2.0.
- OIDC Protocol Components: Includes Core functionality (built over OAuth 2.0), optional Discovery, and optional Dynamic Client Registration.
- Flow: Typically uses the Authorization Code Flow (Relying Party -> IdP -> Service).
- OAuth: An open authorization standard (OAuth 2.0) for limited access, defining specific roles:
- Roles: Resource Owner, Resource Server (stores resources/API), Authorization Server (verifies identity, generates tokens), and Client (the application requesting access).
- Authorization Grant Types: Specific methods for obtaining authorization, including Authorization Code (for Web Servers), Implicit (for Single Page Applications), Resource Owner Password Credentials (for highly trusted applications), and Client Credentials (for machine-to-machine communication).
Frequently Asked Questions
How does digital identity relate to real-world identity?
Digital identity is the online representation of a real entity, linked by unique characteristics and online actions. Validation and authentication are necessary to ensure the digital identity accurately corresponds to the real-world identity, affecting real-world reputation.
What is the primary risk associated with using Single Sign-On (SSO)?
The main risk is the centralization of access. If the primary SSO credentials are stolen, the attacker gains immediate, unauthorized access to every system and application linked to that single sign-on mechanism.
What is the difference between OpenID Connect and OAuth 2.0?
OAuth 2.0 is an authorization framework that grants limited access to resources. OpenID Connect (OIDC) is an identity layer built on top of OAuth 2.0, specifically designed to verify the user's identity and obtain basic profile information.
