With the dissolution of traditional network perimeters, identity has emerged as the central gatekeeper of enterprise security. This week explores authentication, authorization, and access control as critical building blocks of trust. Students examine the weaknesses of passwords, the rise of multi-factor authentication, and the push toward passwordless and biometric methods. Federation protocols such as SAML, OAuth2, and OpenID Connect are studied for their role in enabling single sign-on and cloud adoption, while case studies of breaches at T-Mobile, Peloton, and Okta illustrate the dangers of misconfiguration and overreliance on central providers.

Attention also turns to insider threats, zero trust architecture, and machine identities, revealing how risk extends beyond human users. Learners explore how least privilege, monitoring, and governance provide defense against misuse of legitimate credentials. By the end of this week, students will understand why identity is both a technical and cultural challenge—an evolving frontier where usability, governance, and security converge.
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