What Is Identity and Access Management (IAM)?
Identity and Access Management (IAM) is made up of the tools, policies, and processes that ensures the right people have the right access to the right resources. IAM helps organizations authenticate users, authorize access, and continuously monitor how permissions are used across applications, infrastructure, and data.
At its core, IAM answers three essential questions: Who are you? What should you have access to? How are you using that access?
Identity as the new security perimeter
Traditional network boundaries no longer define security. Users connect from anywhere, applications live in the cloud, and sensitive data is spread across hundreds of systems. Identity has become the new control point. Protecting accounts, permissions, and entitlements is now the most reliable way to protect the business.
IAM is an important part of zero trust architecture, which requires continuous verification and least privilege. IAM platforms provide the building blocks needed to implement zero trust principles: strong authentication, dynamic access policies, visibility across identities, and automated provisioning that prevents over-permissioning.
How IAM Tools Work (Architecture Overview)
IAM platforms unify identity data, authenticate users, make authorization decisions, and enforce policies across applications and infrastructure. Here is how IAM tools work:
Identity Provider (IdP). The IdP verifies who the user is and issues the authentication assertion. Examples include Okta, Microsoft Entra, and Ping.
Directories and Universal Directory. Directories act as the identity source of truth with user attributes, roles, and group memberships. Modern IAM tools offer universal directories that sync data from multiple systems.
Provisioning and Lifecycle Management. IAM tools automate user onboarding, role changes, and offboarding by provisioning and removing access across apps and systems. This ensures access stays aligned with employment status and reduces stale permissions.
Access Governance and Certifications. Governance ensures that users have only the access they need. Certifications provide scheduled or continuous reviews of permissions to meet compliance requirements and enforce least privilege.
Audit Trails and Reporting. Centralized logs track who accessed what, when they accessed it, and how their permissions changed. These records support forensic analysis, compliance, and internal audits.
Key Features to Look For in an IAM Platform
Modern IAM platforms vary widely in capability. Strong solutions will include:
Automation and Workflow Orchestration. Automated provisioning, deprovisioning, and approval workflows reduce manual effort and prevent delays or errors in access changes.
Real-Time Access Visibility. A centralized view of user identities, entitlements, and privileges across cloud and on-prem environments makes it easier to detect excessive or risky access.
Just-in-Time Access and Zero Standing Privileges. Temporary, time-bound access reduces the attack surface by ensuring users only receive elevated permissions when needed.
HRIS and Directory Integrations. HR-driven identity creation keeps lifecycle changes accurate and in sync. Integrations ensure that data flows cleanly across systems.
Compliance Alignment. Support for SOX, SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI, and other frameworks helps organizations meet regulatory requirements through automated reviews, evidence collection, and audit reporting.
Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Support. IAM should work across AWS, GCP, Azure, on-prem systems, and homegrown apps without sacrificing visibility or control.
AI-Based Identity Analytics. Machine learning can detect anomalies, flag risky access, recommend least privilege, and help teams focus on the most urgent identity risks.
Benefits of IAM Tools
A well-implemented IAM platform delivers measurable security, operational, and compliance improvements.
Reduced Privilege Creep. Automated provisioning and routine certifications keep permissions aligned with roles and prevent users from accumulating unnecessary access.
Lower Audit Burden. Centralized reporting and automated evidence collection simplify SOX, SOC 2, HIPAA, and internal audit processes.
Faster Onboarding and Offboarding. Automated workflows help new hires get access on day one and ensure departing employees lose access immediately.
Centralized Visibility. A unified identity layer gives teams a complete view across users, systems, and resources, helping them detect unusual activity and reduce blind spots.
Stronger Security Posture. With least privilege controls, and automated cleanup of stale access, IAM becomes a core defense against breaches.
Operational Efficiency for IT and Security Teams. By reducing manual user management, IT and SecOps teams save time, prevent errors, and focus on higher value work.
Why are IAM tools important?
As companies grow, so does the complexity of managing user access. More people, more apps, more systems, and more risk. And the explosion of AI identities are making things more even complicated.
Identity and access management tools help organizations keep control by scaling with the business and centralizing how access is granted, monitored, and secured. Here are the 10 best identity and access management tools for 2026.
1. ConductorOne
ConductorOne is the AI-native identity security platform designed to streamline and secure access management processes in organizations. It integrates seamlessly with existing identity providers (IdPs) and infrastructure as code (IaC) environments, making it a flexible option for modern enterprises.
ConductorOne’s capabilities include AI-powered intelligent access reviews, just-in-time (JIT) access and provisioning, dynamic access controls, identity automations, and AI agents that leverage machine learning to suggest appropriate access levels based on user behavior and role requirements.
A key feature of ConductorOne is its user-friendly interface, which simplifies the management of complex permissions and audit processes.
The platform also offers detailed analytics and reporting features, providing insights into access patterns and potential security vulnerabilities. This enables IT teams to make informed decisions quickly, enhancing overall security posture with minimal manual intervention.
Key Features of ConductorOne
Identity Orchestration Layer
ConductorOne offers a centralized identity orchestration layer, Super Directory, as your single source of truth for every identity. No more silos. Centralize identity data, group, and password management across complex enterprise environments.
With Super Directory, managing multiple directories, user types, passwords, and groups across all your systems becomes unified, secure, and automated.
Automated, Intelligent Access Review and Compliance Reporting
ConductorOne automates the entire user access review process, slashing manual work and freeing your team’s time up while staying on top of risks.
ConductorOne streamlines the process of access certifications and compliance reporting, making it a top choice for organizations focused on maintaining rigorous security standards. Companies who comply with SOX, SOC 2, PCI DSS, or HIPAA will find the automated workflows simplify compliance processes and audit trails.
Organizations can customize user access reviews with multistep reviewer policies and integrate real-time notifications via Slack for review processes, auto-approvals, and zero-touch deprovisioning.
In addition, the platform enables you to generate accurate, auditor-ready reports with just a single click, significantly reducing the administrative burden on IT teams.
Just-in-Time Provisioning and Self-Service Access Requests
ConductorOne enhances user autonomy by enabling self-service access requests through various interfaces like Slack, Teams, CLI, or web app, paired with automatic provisioning upon approval.
Customers can easily set up self-requested just-in-time access to any resource to support a zero standing privileges policy, which can significantly reduce security risks by ensuring that access rights are granted only as needed and for a limited time.
Identity Lifecycle Management
The platform automates every phase of the identity lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding. Simplify every stage of the joiner, mover, and leaver (JML process with C1. Features include multistep provisioning and deprovisioning workflows and the management of delegated requests.
It also provides tools for detecting and revoking unused access, orphaned accounts, and deactivated users to keep the system clean and secure.
Enforce Separation of Duties (SoD)
ConductorOne’s automated detection of SoD conflicts across applications ensures that internal security controls meet stringent compliance standards. It alerts administrators to conflicts, offers remediation options, and logs activities for audits.
Policy-Driven Access Controls
ConductorOne offers advanced policy-driven access controls that attract organizations looking for dynamic and secure access management solutions.
Users can set up zero-touch, conditional, and multi-step approval policies, automatically remove access based on specific triggers such as time, non-usage, or changed justifications, and require re-requesting for particularly risky access permissions.
AI for Your Helpdesk
For customers who prefer to use their existing helpdesk system for access requests but want to automate ticket processing on the backend, ConductorOne’s AI-powered Copilot can automate the processing of helpdesk request tickets, from reading to approving and provisioning.
Developer-Friendly Configuration
ConductorOne supports configuration via Terraform, access requests through its command-line tool (Cone), and extensive automation capabilities through the ConductorOne API. These features make it highly appealing to technical teams that value efficiency and integration flexibility in their workflows.
Why Do Customers Choose ConductorOne?
AI-Native Identity Security. ConductorOne is the first AI-native identity platform that allows users to streamline identity management, access decisions, and governance with AI-driven insights and automation. ConductorOne’s autonomous AI agents scale your security team by managing requests and reviews based on your security policies, providing in-line risk assessments, and taking the pain out of governance.
Automation-Centric Approach. ConductorOne prioritizes automation to streamline identity governance and administration processes. This reduces manual workload, speeds up response times, and minimizes the potential for human error. By automating routine tasks like provisioning, deprovisioning, and access reviews, organizations can ensure compliance and maintain tight security with less effort.
User-Friendly Interface. The platform offers a clean, intuitive interface that simplifies complex IAM tasks. It is designed to be user-friendly, allowing both technical and non-technical users to manage access controls effectively. This accessibility enhances user adoption rates and ensures that security policies are consistently applied across the organization.
Best-In-Class Integrations. C1 gives you immediate visibility and control across your entire environment with hundreds of out-of-the-box connectors and easy-to-configure custom connectors for any system.
Time to Value. ConductorOne is designed to meet companies where they are and integrate with their existing technology stack quickly, providing security and compliance benefits in a matter of days to weeks. The platform provides a wide range of out-of-the-box connectors for cloud and on-prem apps and infrastructure as well as an open-source connector SDK called Baton that allows customers to build custom connections to homegrown and private systems.
Scalability for Growing Needs. Whether you’re expanding your team or your tech stack, ConductorOne grows with you. It’s designed to handle increasing numbers of users and more sophisticated access structures without a drop in performance. Plus, its compatibility with a broad range of applications means it can integrate smoothly into virtually any IT environment.
Exceptional Support and Community. When you choose ConductorOne, you’re not just getting a software solution; you’re also gaining access to a supportive community and dedicated customer service. This ensures that any issues you encounter are addressed promptly and that you can maximize the benefits of your IAM system.
💡Case Study → How System1 manages disparate systems after M&A activity and streamlined SOX audits.
2. Zluri
Zluri is a comprehensive SaaS management platform that helps organizations optimize their software subscriptions and manage end-to-end software lifecycle from procurement to renewal. It is designed to give IT teams visibility and control over their software stack by providing detailed insights into software usage, spending, and compliance.
The platform offers the ability to automatically discover and inventory all the SaaS applications used across the organization, even those adopted without IT’s knowledge. This discovery process aids in identifying redundant apps and underutilized licenses, facilitating cost optimization. Additionally, Zluri offers robust security features, including compliance tracking, data risk management and assessment, which help ensure that the organization’s SaaS environment aligns with industry standards and regulations.
Zluri also simplifies the management of SaaS contracts and vendor relationships. With features like automated renewal reminders and spending analytics, organizations can avoid unnecessary auto-renewals and negotiate contracts more effectively.
Key Features
- Application Discovery and Management. With Zluri, organizations can automatically discover all the applications in use across their network. This feature includes management capabilities that allow for the monitoring of software usage, compliance status, and optimization of software spend.
- One-Click Provisioning and Deprovisioning. This feature allows IT administrators to instantly grant or revoke access to applications with a single click. It is particularly useful for managing access rights efficiently and securely, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access.
- Spend Optimization. Zluri offers advanced spend analysis tools that evaluate historical data and current usage patterns to identify cost-saving opportunities. This includes recommendations for eliminating redundant subscriptions and renegotiating contracts based on actual usage statistics, potentially saving companies significant amounts of money.
- License Management. This feature enables organizations to manage their software licenses effectively. Zluri tracks expiration dates, renewal terms, and license utilization. It alerts administrators about over or underutilization, helping to avoid compliance issues and ensuring that investments in software are fully leveraged.
- Compliance Tracking. The platform supports compliance with various regulatory standards by continuously monitoring software usage and ensuring that all SaaS applications adhere to specific industry regulations and company policies. It generates compliance reports that can be used for audits, thereby simplifying the compliance management process.
💡ConductorOne Advantage → ConductorOne offers better integration capabilities that allow it to seamlessly connect with a broader range of software and platforms, offering more flexibility and scalability for growing businesses.
3. CyberArk
CyberArk expanded their IAM offerings when they acquired Zilla Security last year, a specialized security management platform that centralizes control over cloud-based environments and SaaS applications, enabling enterprises to safeguard their digital assets.
It offers a comprehensive suite of tools that makes it easy to detect, analyze, and manage security risks associated with extensive SaaS usage. It provides a granular overview of user activities and application interactions, helping IT security teams to preemptively identify potential security breaches before they materialize.
In terms of user authentication, CyberArk adopted Zilla’s platform that uses multi-factor authentication (MFA) systems, enhancing security by requiring multiple forms of verification. It also supports a range of SSO options, which simplifies the user access process while maintaining high security standards.
Key Features
- SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM). Provides tools to continuously assess and manage the security risks associated with SaaS applications. This includes identifying misconfigurations, excessive permissions, and compliance deviations in real-time.
- Compliance Tracking Dashboard. Provides a comprehensive view of an organization’s compliance status with various regulatory requirements. It automatically aggregates data and presents it in an easy-to-understand format to track progress and identify areas needing attention.
- Closed-Loop ITSM Ticketing. CyberArk enhances ITSM systems by tracking and documenting all change requests related to user access and account security. It actively identifies and flags any unresolved issues or access revocations, ensuring thorough follow-up until issues are fully resolved.
- Extensive Integration Ecosystem. CyberArk offers a powerful platform with over many ready-to-use integrations, facilitating secure and straightforward connections with any application.
💡ConductorOne Advantage → ConductorOne’s real-time analytics provide deeper insights into access patterns and potential security risks, allowing organizations to manage their security posture more effectively.
4. SailPoint
SailPoint is an enterprise identity governance platform that delivers powerful solutions for comprehensive visibility into an organization’s access management. It covers who is doing what, who should have access, and how that access is being used.
SailPoint is designed to handle complex access environments across a wide range of on-premises and cloud-based systems, ensuring that the right individuals have the right access to the right resources at the right times for the right reasons, thereby enforcing policy compliance.
Its AI-driven identity analytics feature provides organizations with actionable insights into access risks and anomalies. This enables effective management of potential security breaches and compliance issues. SailPoint also streamlines access certifications, role management, and audit reporting, which are critical for maintaining compliance with regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX.
Key Features
- Access Modeling. Allows organizations to simulate and model access changes within SailPoint before they are applied. This helps in understanding the implications of access changes, ensuring they align with security and compliance requirements.
- File Access Manager. Protects sensitive unstructured data stored across files and cloud storage. It automatically discovers where sensitive data resides and who has access to it, providing visibility and control over this data.
- IdentityIQ. This is SailPoint’s flagship identity governance platform that integrates with existing IT infrastructures to manage digital identities effectively. It provides comprehensive governance capabilities across all users, applications, and data, ensuring that access rights are granted according to policies and are compliant with regulations.
- Automated Access Recommendations. Streamlines the often lengthy certification processes, enabling quicker and more informed access decisions. Utilizing advanced algorithms, it provides automated recommendations derived from peer group analyses, identity attributes, and historical access activities, enhancing decision-making accuracy.
- Password Manager. simplifies password management across various platforms. It reduces password-related helpdesk calls by allowing users to reset their passwords autonomously through a secure, web-based portal.
- Role Management. Includes role-based access control (RBAC) capabilities, which help to streamline the assignment of access rights by grouping permissions into roles based on job functions.
💡ConductorOne Advantage → ConductorOne offers a more nimble, cost-effective solution with significantly faster deployment times (think days or weeks, not months or years), ideal for businesses seeking more flexibility and quick ROI.
5. Okta Workforce Identity Cloud
Okta Workforce Identity Cloud is a cloud identity and access management solution that secures and streamlines user access across any application or device.
As a cloud-based platform, it enables organizations to implement strong security measures without the overhead of traditional on-premises solutions. Okta focuses on enhancing user productivity and security through a seamless and secure login experience across multiple platforms.
A major Okta feature is its Universal Directory, which offers a centralized system for managing and syncing user data across all applications and services within an organization. This integration capability extends to thousands of pre-built integrations for popular applications and IT systems, making Okta highly adaptable to multiple IT environments.
Furthermore, Okta provides robust policy frameworks and detailed reporting tools that help organizations meet compliance standards and audit requirements. This makes Okta Workforce Identity Cloud a powerful tool for organizations needing a flexible, scalable, and secure identity management solution.
Key Features
- Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Okta provides robust security with adaptive MFA that evaluates the risk level of each access request based on factors such as location, device, and user behavior.
- Lifecycle Management. Okta automates the entire lifecycle of user identities with efficient provisioning and deprovisioning processes. It integrates with HR systems to ensure that changes in employment status are reflected promptly across all applications.
- API Access Management. Okta secures APIs by ensuring that only authorized users and services can access them, utilizing OAuth and OpenID Connect protocols to protect sensitive data and transactions.
- Advanced Server Access (ASA). Provides secure, identity-led access to infrastructure resources such as servers and databases both on-premises and in the cloud. It offers a Zero Trust approach to server access, enforcing least privilege and providing session visibility and control.
- Access Gateway. Secures simple, and integrated access to on-premises applications without changing how those applications are configured, using industry standards such as SAML and SWA.
- Okta Single Sign-On (SSO). Guarantees users an easy and secure access to all their applications through one login portal. It supports thousands of pre-integrated apps and includes a robust set of integration tools for new or custom applications.
💡ConductorOne Advantage → ConductorOne can connect to apps and systems outside of a customer’s IdP and enables access control to more fine-grained resources.
6. Microsoft Entra ID
Microsoft Entra ID, previously known as Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), is an IAM service provided by Microsoft as part of its cloud security offerings.
The platform provides comprehensive tools for identity protection, such as user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) and automated threat detection, which help prevent identity-based security breaches.
Microsoft Entra ID allows IT administrators to efficiently manage access to applications and resources, customizing it according to specific business requirements. For example, it supports the implementation of multifactor authentication for accessing critical organizational resources.
Additionally, Microsoft Entra ID automates user provisioning between Windows Server AD and various cloud applications, including Microsoft 365, ensuring a secure and seamless integration.
For businesses heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, Microsoft Entra ID offers a particularly compelling solution due to its native integration, extensive scalability, and robust security features.
Key Features
- Secure Hybrid Access. This feature bridges on-premises and cloud environments, facilitating secure access to applications regardless of where they are hosted. It leverages Azure AD Application Proxy and various authentication methods to ensure that users can safely connect to enterprise applications from any location.
- Conditional Access. This is a policy-based engine within Microsoft Entra that allows organizations to enforce automated access-control decisions based on conditions for accessing network and cloud-based applications. It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft services, leveraging real-time data analytics to enhance security without compromising user experience.
- Passwordless Authentication. Supports biometrics, hardware tokens, or Windows Hello, to simplify and strengthen user access security. This method eliminates the need for passwords, reducing the risk associated with their theft or misuse.
- Privileged Identity Management (PIM). This feature helps control, manage, and monitor access to critical resources within an organization. PIM includes just-in-time privileged access, which reduces risks by granting necessary permissions temporarily.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility. Microsoft Entra ID is designed to work seamlessly across both Microsoft and non-Microsoft environments. It supports integration with various cloud and on-premises applications.
💡ConductorOne Advantage → ConductorOne offers a more streamlined approach compared to Microsoft Entra ID, focusing on simplifying the user experience without sacrificing security features.
7. Ping Identity
Ping Identity is an advanced IAM tool designed to improve security and user experience across digital enterprises. It focuses on providing seamless, secure access to cloud, mobile, SaaS, and on-premises applications while protecting sensitive data from breaches.
Ping Identity is flexible, making it easily adaptable to complex IT environments. It also supports multiple authentication protocols and standards, including OAuth, OpenID Connect, and SAML.
The platform uses AI and machine learning to intelligently manage access and detect potential security threats in real time. It also includes comprehensive API security features that protect both internal and external APIs from common vulnerabilities.
Additionally, Ping Identity offers extensive customization options, enabling organizations to adjust the user experience and security controls to suit specific business needs and comply with regulatory requirements.
Key Features
- PingOne Risk Management. Utilizes analytics to assess the risk associated with user access requests, then determines the likelihood of a request being fraudulent and applies appropriate security measures to mitigate risks.
- PingIntelligence for APIs. This feature leverages AI and machine learning to protect APIs by detecting and mitigating threats in real-time. It ensures that only authenticated users and secure devices can access sensitive API functions.
- PingFederate. This is an identity federation and access management solution that simplifies user authentication and single sign-on (SSO) across different organizations and applications. It supports standards such as SAML, WS-Federation, and OAuth, facilitating secure, cross-domain interactions.
- PingDirectory. This is a highly scalable and customizable directory server that provides a secure data store for user and device profiles. It is designed to handle large volumes of identity data and complex query operations.
- PingAccess. Allows for fine-grained access control to applications and APIs, whether they are hosted on-premises or in the cloud. It works seamlessly with PingOne and other identity management systems to enforce policies that limit resource access based on user roles, attributes, and other contextual factors.
- PingID. This offers robust multi-factor authentication to ensure secure access to applications and services. It supports various authentication methods including biometrics, SMS, email, and push notifications. It also adapts the authentication strength based on the user’s location, device, and network, providing a balance between security and user experience.
💡ConductorOne Advantage → ConductorOne offers self-service capabilities, allowing end-users to manage their credentials and access rights more efficiently, which reduces IT overhead and enhances overall user satisfaction.
8. Oracle Access Management
Oracle Access Management (OAM) is a component of the Oracle Fusion Middleware Identity and Access Management Suite. This suite includes Oracle Access Manager, Oracle Advanced Authentication (OAA), Oracle RADIUS Agent (ORA), and extended support for the legacy software Enterprise Single Sign-On (ESSO).
Together, these solutions offer fully integrated services that enhance traditional access management capabilities. They extend security from on-premises systems to the cloud in a scalable manner, making it a robust choice for modern IT environments.
Additionally, Oracle IAM features predictive analytics tools that use machine learning to identify and address potential security threats by analyzing user behavior patterns.
Key Features
- OAM Stateless Mid-tier. This feature enables database state persistence with a stateless mid-tier, simplifying upgrades and cloud migrations. It supports new use cases like linking sessions across web, API, and device access, and consolidates state across Single Sign-On (SSO), federation, and OAuth.
- Oracle Mobile Authenticator (OMA). OMA now supports an enhanced enrollment process for adding accounts to the OMA app. Organizations can utilize the App Protection feature to secure the OMA app with biometric identifiers like Touch ID for iOS and Fingerprint for Android.
- Oracle Advanced Authentication (OAA). OAA enhances Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) with modern, passwordless factors such as FIDO2 and YubiKey. It integrates with the new microservice, Oracle RADIUS Agent (ORA), enhancing protection for Oracle databases, VPNs, and SSH sessions with a modern MFA user experience.
- OAM Snapshot Tool. This tool aids administrators in managing, migrating, and updating OAM deployments uniformly across different infrastructures, leveraging Oracle Database backup and cloning solutions.
- Multi Data Center Lifecycle Simplification. OAM streamlines the setup and management of multi-data center (MDC) topologies, using new REST-based APIs for administrative and diagnostic purposes to reduce setup complexity. OAuth artifacts like Identity Domains and Clients are synchronized across data centers.
- OAM Container Image. This facilitates the deployment of OAM on-premises and in the cloud using Kubernetes. This allows for automated deployments and upgrades, auto-scaling, and portability across multi-cloud and on-premises environments.
💡ConductorOne Advantage → ConductorOne offers a more lightweight and flexible solution compared to Oracle Access Management. This makes it ideal for businesses that require quick deployment and easy scalability without the complexity often associated with large-scale IAM systems.
9. OneLogin
OneLogin is a Unified Access Management (UAM) platform that centralizes all your organization’s access, both on-premises and in the cloud. It provides comprehensive control, management, and security for your data, devices, and users.
The platform streamlines various administrative tasks, including application rollout, new employee onboarding, and de-provisioning, while reducing access-related helpdesk requests by over 50% through a self-service password reset feature.
It ensures real-time synchronization between the OneLogin Cloud Directory and multiple Active Directories, eliminating the manual maintenance of these systems. Users benefit from one-click access to all their applications via a secure portal, accessible from anywhere at any time.
Additionally, OneLogin extends single sign-on (SSO) capabilities to MacOS and Windows devices and integrates legacy applications on-premises or hosted remotely, thus enhancing both usability and security.
Key Features
- App Catalog. OneLogin’s catalog boasts over 5,000 pre-integrated applications, simplifying the implementation of single sign-on (SSO) and user provisioning for enterprise apps.
- Adaptive Authentication. Utilizes machine learning to conduct dynamic risk assessments, identifying high-risk login attempts and prompting multi-factor authentication (MFA). Risk scores are generated based on factors such as network reputation, geographic location, device fingerprinting, and time anomalies.
- One Click On- and Off-Boarding. Automates onboarding and offboarding processes by importing entitlement definitions from each app and establishing flexible rules for assigning user entitlements. It features real-time synchronization with Active Directory, ensuring that any changes, such as disabling a user, are reflected in target applications within seconds.
- Unified Endpoint Management. Integrates your laptop or desktop with the OneLogin Cloud Directory, creating a secure profile on your machine accessible only with OneLogin credentials. This setup allows a single login to your operating system to automatically log you into all linked applications, eliminating the need for additional browser logins.
- Mobile Identity. Provides secure access to all cloud and enterprise apps, running web apps inside the mobile platform as fully functional web applications without leaving any data trail.
- VigilanceAI. VigilanceAI, OneLogin’s proprietary machine learning engine, analyzes extensive data from both internal and external sources to establish individual user behavior profiles. This enables it to detect and alert on behavioral anomalies in real-time, offering advanced threat defense.
💡ConductorOne Advantage → ConductorOne’s advanced analytics and reporting capabilities provide deeper insights into access behaviors and potential vulnerabilities.
10. IBM Security Verify
IBM Security Verify is a robust IAM solution that empowers security teams to implement risk-based access policies, facilitating frictionless user authentications across web, mobile, and cloud applications, as well as APIs.
Leveraging standard protocols, it offers Identity-as-a-Service, helping organizations to enhance security and modernize digital experiences for both internal workforce and external consumers.
Additionally, IBM Security Verify ensures seamless, secure access to applications and complements native AWS services, streamlining integration and enhancing overall security posture.
Key Features
- Centralized Credential Vault. Encrypts and centralizes all privileged credentials within a secure vault, providing authorized access while enforcing strict security controls.
- Comprehensive Account Identification. Automatically identifies all types of privileged accounts, including service, application, administrator, and root accounts, ensuring complete visibility and management of access rights.
- Automated Password Management. Automates the process of password changes, enforces complex password creation, and systematically rotates credentials to secure accounts against unauthorized access.
- Managed Access and Monitoring. Controls and monitors user sessions through session launching, use of proxies, active monitoring, and recording, enhancing both security and accountability.
- Single Agent Monitoring. Utilizes a single agent to discover and monitor applications operated with administrative privileges on both domain and non-domain machines, streamlining management and enhancing security coverage.
💡ConductorOne Advantage → ConductorOne ** ** offers enhanced automation features that streamline identity governance and administrative tasks. This results in significant time savings and reduced human errors.
Centralize Control and Simplify User Access Management with ConductorOne
Imagine managing all your identity and access controls from one powerful platform—ConductorOne makes this a reality.
By centralizing control, ConductorOne simplifies the complexity of managing multiple systems and significantly cuts down the chances of errors. You gain clear oversight over user activities and permissions, ensuring that your organization’s data is always protected and compliance is maintained.
ConductorOne streamlines your daily operations by automating routine tasks such as user provisioning and deprovisioning. This automation reduces the need for manual oversight, drastically lowering the risk of security breaches that can occur due to human error.
In addition, ConductorOne ensures that access rights are always aligned with the latest policies and swiftly adjusts to changes in user roles or business requirements.
By choosing ConductorOne, you move toward a more controlled and simplified access management system that puts your needs—and security—first.
Talk to our team or take a self-guided tour to learn more!
Real World IAM Examples and Case Studies
The following case studies demonstrate how companies of all sizes can use ConductorOne as an IAM tool.
How Instacart moved 100% of privileged access to just-in-time (JIT)
Instacart needed a faster, safer way to manage privileged access across its growing engineering organization. Manual, manager-based approvals were slowing teams down and creating gaps in visibility. Long-lived access persisted far beyond what was necessary, increasing security risk and making it difficult to enforce least privilege at scale.
With ConductorOne, Instacart centralized access management, automated privileged workflows, and implemented just-in-time access across critical apps and infrastructure.
“I’ve had experience with legacy vendors in this space and it’s a night and day difference—in the way you can use the product, in the onboarding time, in the time to value, and how you’re treated as a customer. There’s something so powerful about having a partner who really understands the space and listens.” - Instacart Security Team
How Zscaler automated access, accelerated onboarding, and simplified compliance
Zscaler faced fragmented, manual, and inconsistent access processes across the organization. Access requests and reviews were handled differently in each department, provisioning took weeks, and there was no single place for employees to request what they needed. Audit reporting required manual effort and frequent rework, and the help desk was overwhelmed with access-related tickets.
By adopting ConductorOne, the company centralized access requests, automated lifecycle workflows, and replaced manual reviews with streamlined, policy-driven governance.
IAM FAQs in 2026
What’s the difference between IAM and IGA?
Identity and Access Management (IAM) focuses on authentication, authorization, and ensuring the right users can access the right systems. It typically includes SSO, MFA, directories, and basic provisioning.
Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) adds governance on top of IAM, including access reviews, policy enforcement, separation of duties, audit reporting, and lifecycle management.
In short:
IAM = Who are you and can you log in?
IGA = Should you still have this access? Who approved it? Can we prove that to auditors?
Most modern buyers need both, as governance is now central to compliance and zero trust.
How does IAM support Zero Trust?
Zero trust assumes no user or device should be trusted automatically, even if inside the network. IAM supports Zero trust by:
- Enforcing continuous authentication and authorization
- Applying least privilege and role-based access
- Leveraging contextual policies (location, device, behavior)
- Reducing standing privileges through JIT access
- Centralizing visibility into all entitlements and accounts
- Detecting identity anomalies that indicate compromise
IAM is effectively the control plane that enables zero trust to work.
Do IAM tools replace Active Directory?
No, IAM tools don’t typically replace Active Directory (AD). Instead, they integrate with AD or Entra ID (Azure AD) to:
- Sync users and groups
- Enforce consistent access policies
- Extend identity to cloud apps
- Automate provisioning and deprovisioning
- Layer governance and Zero Trust frameworks on top
If an organization is fully cloud-native, AD may play a smaller role, but IAM doesn’t eliminate directory services, it orchestrates them.
Which IAM tools integrate best with HRIS systems?
Most HR-driven workflows rely on integration with systems like Workday, BambooHR, Rippling, or UKG. The strongest HRIS integrations usually come from:
- ConductorOne — deep lifecycle management with HRIS triggers, multi-step workflows, JIT access, and offboarding automation
- Okta — popular Workday provisioning connector
- Microsoft Entra ID — native Microsoft ecosystem integration
- SailPoint — enterprise-grade HRIS connectors with governance
The more automation your onboarding and offboarding requires, the more important HRIS-first workflows become.
How long does IAM implementation take?
Implementation timelines vary widely depending on the tool and environment. Typical ranges:
- Modern cloud IAM / IGA tools like ConductorOne: days to weeks
- Traditional enterprise IGA tools like SailPoint: 3–12 months
Factors that affect timeline:
- Number of applications and connectors
- Breadth of provisioning/deprovisioning automation
- Governance maturity (access reviews, SoD policies, audit requirements)
- Whether custom integrations are required
Organizations increasingly prefer platforms with fast time-to-value and minimal professional services.
Which IAM tools work best for multi-cloud environments?
Organizations using AWS, GCP, and Azure simultaneously need tools that normalize identity across heterogeneous systems. Strong multi-cloud IAM options include:
- ConductorOne — broad connector ecosystem, infrastructure access control, JIT workflows, and unified identity fabric
- SailPoint — governance-focused multi-cloud visibility
- Okta — strong cloud application coverage
- Microsoft Entra ID — excellent for Azure-heavy environments, but less flexible across AWS/GCP without add-ons
The best tool depends on whether the priority is app access (Okta), governance (SailPoint), or automation + identity security (ConductorOne).
