Identity & Access Management: A Systems Engineering Approach

This book demonstrates a high level but very useful mathematical approach towards Identity & Access Management (IAM). Starting with the generalization of concepts of users, authentication and authorization and expressing these basic IAM functions as multiplication of matrices, the author in subsequent chapters extends this approach to the role-based access control, risk and trust. Although not very useful for the practical implementation of IAM systems, this books provides a level of generalization of IAM entities, processes and problems that enable IAM discussions in mathematical terms.

I was looking for a book on IAM that is not focused on a particular set of products and/or implementations, since I just wanted something as a reference for the IAM model in general. This book turned out to be the best choice for this. It explains the fundamentals and mathematical principals of IAM in a very concise way and therefore delivers timeless answers to the fundamentals of IAM. In addition the author provides some useful examples for the underlying theory of IAM. While I had to brush up on my high school math for some parts of the book I don't think it should be a deterrent for anyone that wants a clear and concise introduction into IAM.I bought the Kindle version of this book and the only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is the formatting of the Kindle version. Some of the mathematical formulas are not correctly rendered on the Kindle. For example: Matrices are not displayed correctly with a proper bracket to the left and right, but rather you see some special characters displayed. In addition on some formulas the indices appear too small to read on the Kindle/iPad Kindle app. Labels on the diagrams in this version of the book are also too small. It would be great if the next, revised edition could have an option of zooming into the diagrams. Once these nuisances are fixed I would no doubt give this book five stars.

It is a fake book. Doesn't buy it.