Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) is a subset of Identity Access Management (IAM) that focuses on managing and controlling external parties access to a business' applications, web portals, and digital services. CIAM enables organizations to securely capture and manage customer identity and profile data, control customer access to applications and services, and provide a seamless and secure experience to customers across different channels.
CIAM solutions usually provide a combination of features, including customer registration, self-service account management, consent and preference management, single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), access management, authorization, directory services, data access governance, identity proofing, identity orchestration, threat detection, and fraud mitigation.
CIAM is related to IAM, but it goes beyond user identity management and access control. At its best, it is a comprehensive, integrated system that also provides privacy protection, anti-fraud capabilities, and compliance features. CIAM solutions can help organizations improve customer registration and login experiences while reducing the risk of account takeover, and can be easily integrated with systems that control common customer tasks such as account self-management, bill paying, order tracking, and returns, reducing the risks associated with poor password hygiene.
CIAM is essential for businesses that want to build and maintain customer trust, personalize customer experiences, and comply with data privacy laws. A good CIAM solution can help organizations provide a seamless and secure experience to customers, and can be delivered via software that can be deployed on premises, in private clouds, or via the cloud.
