An account store is a centralized repository within an organization's digital infrastructure that securely manages and stores digital identity information. This specialized database or directory service houses comprehensive user account data including credentials (usernames and hashed passwords), user attributes, roles, permissions, contact details, and group memberships throughout the entire identity lifecycle.

As a foundational component of Identity & Access Management (IAM) systems, the account store enables two critical security functions: authentication (verifying user identity) and authorization (determining access rights to applications, systems, and resources). The security, integrity, and availability of this repository are paramount to an organization's cybersecurity posture, as it serves as the authoritative source for validating identities and enforcing access policies across the enterprise.