Which concept is essential for ensuring security in cloud environments by controlling identity access?

The concept that is essential for ensuring security in cloud environments by controlling identity access is Identity Management. This is because Identity Management involves the processes and technologies used to identify, authenticate, and authorize individuals who access resources in a cloud environment. By implementing robust Identity Management practices, organizations can ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive data and applications, thereby minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and potential security breaches.

Identity Management encompasses various components, including user identities, roles, and attributes, as well as policies for verifying identity and assigning permissions. It plays a critical role in maintaining compliance with security regulations and standards, as well as supporting user provisioning and de-provisioning processes. Effective Identity Management helps organizations not only secure cloud resources but also manage user experiences and streamline operations by enabling single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA).

While Access Control is also important in managing who can access what resources, it is often considered a subset of Identity Management. Access Control is reliant on the identity information governed by Identity Management, as it defines the permissions and rules based on those identities. Other concepts like Security Information Management and Data Encryption serve different security purposes and do not focus primarily on controlling identity access.