Account linking

Account linking is a cybersecurity process within Identity & Access Management (IAM) that establishes a secure relationship between two or more distinct user accounts belonging to the same individual across different systems, applications, or services. The goal is to create a unified digital identity, enabling users to seamlessly access multiple resources without repetitive registrations or separate authentications. This consolidation streamlines the user experience, reduces login fatigue, and enhances administrative oversight of user identities and their associated permissions across an organization's digital footprint.

From a security standpoint, account linking often involves mapping unique identifiers from one identity provider to another, facilitating federated authentication or single sign-on (SSO) capabilities. By centralizing control over identity provisioning, deprovisioning, and privilege management, it minimizes the attack surface associated with fragmented user accounts. It also ensures consistent enforcement of access policies, simplifies auditing of user activity, and contributes to a stronger overall security posture, operational efficiency, and compliance adherence.