Preface – This post is part of the Cloud Computing series.

Introduction

Identity as a service mainly provides services based on identity and access management functions such as single sign-on. IDaaS combines all parts and features supplied by IAM (Identity and access management). The goal is to provide access to suitable software applications, files, and resources at the right time. While working with IDAAS, it becomes much simpler to implement the centralized cloud-based system and identity expert.

While using the IDaaS cloud, every individual is assigned a unique identification attribute. It is helpful for transactions, validating websites, registration, event monitoring, authentication services, etc.

Characteristics of Identity as a Service

• IDaaS manages a database’s query engine and executes a query against data. For example, the query engine executes SQL commands and languages to access data.
• Policy Engines in IDaaS process the machine-readable policy and apply them to the problem domain to constrain the behavior of network resources.
• It makes a digital identity of the end-user for authentication of services.
• It consists of easy configurations, quick verification functions like multi-factor authentication, and biometric recognization, thus saving end users time.
• It provides a secure and easy to use for end-users.

Services offered by IDaaS

1. Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

Multiple authentications are electronic authentication that provides users with two or more verification factors. It ensures that security must not be dependent on only one aspect. It has various verification processes to access the resource. The authentication steps include passwords, tokens like a bank card or Aadhar card, and biometrics such as fingerprint and face recognition.

2. Identity Management

Identity management is an information system that stores and manages the customer’s identity. An IDP checks the uniqueness of a user with its credentials such as user id and passwords. Enterprises mainly use it to ensure only dedicated users can access the data.

3. Single Sign-on (SSO)

Sign-on is a service of IDaaS where it sets user credentials like usernames and passwords that will give access to multiple applications.

Provisioning

It helps to set up IT infrastructure and enables steps for accessing and managing the data with multiple users. Provisioning allows authorized people to securely access sensitive data access to files, folders, and applications.

These are the companies that provide Identity as a Service:

• VMware
  It provides conditional access and services like single sign-on and multifactor authentication to SaaS, web, and native mobile applications.

• FusionAuth
  Fusion is a single-tenant solution for enterprise web and mobile applications. It initiates data with the help of REST API without creating complications in service.

• Adaptive
  Adaptive secures access to applications and endpoints by verifying every user, validating its devices, and intelligently limiting access. The main objective of Adaptive architecture is security, safety, and trust.
• Salesforce
  Salesforce made its place in the Identity and Access Management market in 2013 with the release of Salesforce Identity. These provide IDaaS both as an independent service and marketing of the cloud.