Identity and Access Management (IAM) Course

Lesson 1 • Core IAM Concepts and Terminology

Introduces essential vocabulary: principals, credentials, authentication, and authorization. Provides a shared language used throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Regulatory and Compliance Context

Surveys how data protection, privacy, and audit regulations shape IAM requirements. Enables practitioners to align IAM controls with compliance obligations.

Lesson 3 • What IAM Is and Why It Matters

Defines IAM and its position within enterprise security strategy. Connects identity governance to risk reduction and regulatory compliance.

Lesson 1 • Passwordless and Continuous Authentication

Introduces passwordless flows and behavioral authentication signals. Positions these approaches as the evolution beyond static credentials.

Lesson 2 • Multi-Factor Authentication Design

Explains MFA architectures, enrollment flows, and fallback mechanisms. Connects MFA design to phishing resistance and account takeover prevention.

Lesson 3 • Authentication Factors and Assurance Levels

Covers knowledge, possession, and inherence factors and their assurance levels. Grounds factor selection in risk-based decision-making.

Lesson 1 • Directory Service Fundamentals

Explains directory structure, schemas, and the LDAP protocol. Provides the technical foundation for all identity store operations.

Lesson 2 • Cloud and Hybrid Identity Stores

Examines cloud-native directories and hybrid synchronization architectures. Connects on-premises identity data to cloud services securely.

Lesson 3 • Active Directory Architecture and Design

Covers AD forests, domains, trusts, and organizational units. Teaches design decisions that affect security and manageability.

Lesson 1 • Policy-Based and Dynamic Authorization

Covers XACML, OPA, and context-aware policy engines for fine-grained access. Enables adaptive authorization based on real-time attributes.

Lesson 2 • Role Engineering and Role Management

Teaches top-down and bottom-up role mining, role hierarchies, and lifecycle. Connects role design to operational efficiency and audit readiness.

Lesson 3 • Access Control Model Fundamentals

Compares DAC, MAC, RBAC, and ABAC models with their trade-offs. Provides the conceptual basis for all authorization design decisions.

Lesson 1 • Federation Concepts and Trust Models

Defines identity federation, trust anchors, and circle-of-trust models. Establishes the conceptual framework before protocol-level details.

Lesson 2 • OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect

Explains OAuth 2.0 grant types and OIDC identity layer for modern apps. Connects token-based flows to API security and mobile authentication.

Lesson 3 • SAML 2.0 Architecture and Flows

Covers SAML assertions, bindings, and SSO and SLO profiles in depth. Enables practitioners to configure and debug SAML integrations.

Lesson 1 • Privileged Session Monitoring and Recording

Covers session proxy recording, keystroke logging, and anomaly alerting. Provides forensic evidence and deters misuse of privileged access.

Lesson 2 • Privileged Access Workstations and Tiering

Covers tiered administration models and dedicated privileged workstations. Isolates administrative tasks from general-purpose computing environments.

Lesson 3 • Privileged Account Risk and Taxonomy

Classifies privileged account types and their associated attack vectors. Motivates PAM investment with concrete threat scenarios.

Lesson 4 • Privileged Account Vaulting and Rotation

Explains password vaulting, check-out workflows, and automated rotation. Eliminates standing credentials and enforces accountability for privileged use.

Lesson 1 • Automated Provisioning and SCIM

Explains SCIM protocol, connector frameworks, and provisioning orchestration. Enables scalable, error-free account management across heterogeneous systems.

Lesson 2 • Identity Analytics and Risk Scoring

Applies analytics to detect toxic combinations, outliers, and risky entitlements. Shifts governance from periodic reviews to continuous risk-based monitoring.

Lesson 3 • Access Request and Approval Governance

Designs self-service access request portals and multi-stage approval workflows. Balances agility with policy enforcement and audit accountability.

Lesson 4 • Identity Lifecycle Management

Covers the full joiner-mover-leaver lifecycle and its automation requirements. Connects HR events to timely provisioning and deprovisioning actions.

Lesson 1 • Emerging Trends in IAM

Surveys decentralized identity, AI-driven governance, and quantum-safe authentication. Prepares practitioners to anticipate and plan for future IAM shifts.

Lesson 2 • Adaptive and Risk-Based Authentication

Covers risk engines, signal aggregation, and step-up authentication triggers. Enables dynamic access decisions based on real-time context.

Lesson 3 • IAM Program Metrics and Maturity

Defines KPIs, maturity models, and roadmap planning for IAM programs. Enables practitioners to measure progress and justify investment.

Lesson 4 • IAM for Cloud and Multi-Cloud Environments

Addresses cloud IAM primitives, workload identity, and cross-cloud governance. Extends enterprise IAM controls into dynamic cloud infrastructure.