The identity glossary
Plain-language definitions for the vocabulary of modern identity, customer identity and access management, the governance of AI agents, and the mechanics of migrating off legacy platforms. Written for the people who have to make decisions with these words: architects, security leads, product owners, and the developers who implement them.
The entries people cite most
Authentication is the process of verifying that a user, device, or system is who or what it claims to be.
Read the definitionAuthorization is the process that determines what an already-verified identity is allowed to do or access.
Read the definitionCustomer identity and access management (CIAM) is the identity layer that governs how customers and partners register, authenticate, and access an organization's digital services.
Read the definitionIdentity and access management (IAM) is a framework of policies, processes, and technologies that makes sure the right identities, whether people, devices, or software, get the right access to the rig…
Read the definitionAll terms
CIAM
5 termsThe vocabulary of running customer identity and access management, thresholds, flows, and the controls buyers get asked about.
- What is Authentication?Authentication is the process of verifying that a user, device, or system is who or what it claims to be.CIAM
- What is Authorization?Authorization is the process that determines what an already-verified identity is allowed to do or access.CIAM
- What is Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)?Customer identity and access management (CIAM) is the identity layer that governs how customers and partners register, authenticate, and access an organization's digital services.CIAM
- What is Identity and Access Management (IAM)?Identity and access management (IAM) is a framework of policies, processes, and technologies that makes sure the right identities, whether people, devices, or software, get the right access to the rig…CIAM
- What is single sign-on (SSO)?Single sign-on (SSO) lets a user authenticate once and gain access to multiple applications during that session, without logging in separately to each one.CIAM
The three pillars behind this glossary
Every entry belongs to one of these. Each pillar page pulls the terminology together into an argument.
Customer identity & access management
Why CIAM exists, what it replaces, and how you evaluate it without turning identity into a science project.
Explore ciam PillarAgentic AI management & governance
How agents get identities, scopes, and audit trails, before they act on behalf of a person, tenant, or another agent.
Explore agentic AI PillarMigration off legacy identity
How organizations move off a legacy identity platform without a hard cutover or a mass password reset.
Explore migrationReady to move beyond legacy CIAM?
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