IAMF (Identity and Access Management Framework)

A general security framework for managing digital identities and controlling access to resources, applied in telecommunications for subscriber identity management, network element authentication, and service access control. IAMF encompasses authentication, authorization, identity governance, and access policies. In telecom contexts, IAMF principles are implemented through protocols such as Diameter, RADIUS, and OAuth2.

Categories: Core NetworkSignalingIdentity and Subscriber

IAMF in context

The mobile core carries subscriber sessions, mobility and policy. In 4G it is the EPC (MME, HSS, S/PGW); in 5G it is the Service-Based Architecture with AMF, SMF, UPF, AUSF, UDM and the NRF.

Signaling protocols carry the control-plane messages that set up calls, register subscribers and route SMS. SS7, Diameter, GTP-C and SIP are the four dominant families, and interconnect exposure of any of them is treated by GSMA as top-tier telecom risk.

To place IAMF in the wider telecom-security picture, review MSC, OTP Bypass Attacks, SMS, SMSC, SRI and VoLTE — each entry cross-references back to this page so you can walk the topic in either direction.

Related terms

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Browse the full TelcoSec Glossary, the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Network Security, or the P1 Arsenal of telecom-security tools.