Authors: Ramesh K. Bhatia
Abstract: The rapid expansion of cloud computing has redefined how organizations store, access, and protect user data. However, this transformation has also intensified challenges surrounding identity management and data security. Digital identity governance has emerged as a strategic mechanism to ensure that user access, authentication, and authorization processes align with organizational security and compliance requirements. This review paper explores the impact of digital identity governance on user data protection within cloud environments, emphasizing its role in mitigating cyber threats, maintaining regulatory compliance, and enhancing user trust. The paper begins by outlining the fundamentals of digital identity and its relationship with cloud data protection, highlighting the limitations of traditional identity management systems. It then reviews key digital identity governance frameworks, including Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), Zero Trust architectures, and AI-driven access analytics. Through a comparative analysis, the paper demonstrates how governance-driven identity systems outperform conventional models in terms of scalability, compliance readiness, and breach prevention. Despite significant advancements, organizations face persistent challenges such as integration complexity, identity sprawl, and balancing user experience with security. The review identifies emerging trends shaping the future of identity governance, including blockchain-based decentralized identity (DID), self-sovereign identity (SSI), and AI-powered adaptive authentication. These innovations aim to establish greater transparency, privacy, and interoperability across cloud ecosystems.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17799750
