Securing the Everyday: The Role of ICAM in our Digital World
Three Points to Remember
- You use identity, credential and access management (ICAM) every time you enter a password, swipe a badge or use multifactor authentication (MFA) to prove your identity and keep your organization secure.
- With identity as the new perimeter, ICAM is designed so access decisions are based on who you are and what you're authorized to do, not just where you connect from.
- At Leidos, continuous verification of users, devices and credentials is at the heart of zero trust. Without robust ICAM controls, zero trust isn't possible.
Every day, people rely on ICAM systems – often without even realizing it. From unlocking a phone to accessing a secure building or signing into cloud tools, these seamless interactions quietly determine who we are online and what we’re allowed to do. ICAM sits at the core of cybersecurity and is foundational to a zero trust approach: never assume trust, always verify.
ICAM starts at sign in
Every sign in is an ICAM moment. Entering a password, responding to multi-factor authentication (MFA) prompts or using single sign-on (SSO) confirms identity and enforces trust boundaries before granting access to systems or data. Whether it’s checking email, accessing cloud files, joining virtual meetings or establishing parental controls on a streaming service, these access controls are designed so only authorized users gain entry.
In enterprise environments, ICAM supports this process with automated provisioning and deprovisioning, which grants employees the right access at the right time, revoking it when they change roles or leave the organization. This is designed to minimize risk and keep networks clean of dormant accounts that could be exploited by attackers.
Using credentials in the physical and digital world
Every time you swipe a badge to enter a secure facility, use a smart card to sign in, or authenticate with a biometric scan, you’re leveraging credentials that bind identity to access. These digital tokens, often in the form of Common Access Cards, Personal Identity Verification cards, mobile credentials or hardware keys, bridge the physical and virtual security domains.
In government and defense contexts, maintaining credential integrity is paramount. It helps classified systems remain isolated from unauthorized users while still allowing mission-critical personnel to work efficiently. ICAM solutions enable this balance of protection and usability, delivering seamless authentication without slowing operations.
Accessing cloud and remote resources
As workforces grow more distributed, employees interact with ICAM controls every time they connect remotely. Behind the scenes, these systems continuously assess trust of people and devices that request access to systems and data. ICAM controls can verify identity, device health, network behavior and access context.
For example, signing into a cloud-based collaboration tool might trigger conditional access policies that analyze factors like location, device type or recent sign on patterns. If anything seems suspicious, access can be limited or denied automatically. These adaptive access decisions are the foundation of zero trust, a security philosophy that assumes no user, device or network is inherently trustworthy.
From ICAM to zero trust: The Leidos advantage
At Leidos, ICAM is a cornerstone of the Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) approach that underpins secure operations across federal, defense, and critical infrastructure sectors. By integrating ICAM into every layer of the enterprise, Leidos helps organizations:
- Verify identities continuously across users, devices and services.
- Automate access control with role-based and attribute-based models.
- Support interoperability with federal ICAM and zero trust standards.
- Deliver resilience through identity governance and continuous monitoring.
Through advanced analytics, automation and AI-driven solutions, Leidos is where cyber authority meets unmatched agility. We secure millions of network connections to keep systems running securely and efficiently 24/7. By designing systems where trust is earned—and re-earned—with every interaction, Leidos strengthens mission assurance at every level.
Our customers rely on us to provide the frameworks and tools to make every access decision an informed one. In today’s cyber landscape, trust isn’t granted once — it’s verified every time.
To learn more about the future of zero trust and ICAM, watch the FedInsider panel, “Cyber Resilience in a Turbulent Environment Part 3: Building on Cyber Strengths Enhancing Your Existing Security Stack” with Leidos ICAM Solutions Architect, Scott Maddox.
