Enhancing Cloud Security Through Identity and Access Management

Cloud computing has revolutionized the digital landscape by providing scalable, cost-effective, and on-demand services. However, security remains a critical concern, particularly in Identity and Access Management (IAM). This research presents a comprehensive study of IAM mechanisms, challenges, and proposed solutions in cloud environments. It explores authentication and authorization strategies, including multifactor authentication (MFA), single sign-on (SSO), role-based access control (RBAC), and federated identity management. The study highlights security vulnerabilities such as data breaches, insider threats, and denial-of-service attacks, proposing advanced authentication frameworks to mitigate these risks. The paper also examines Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) and blockchain-based IAM models, suggesting a unified IAM framework for secure, compliant, and efficient cloud access control.