What is the primary function of AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM)?

The primary function of AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) is to control access to AWS services and resources. It provides administrators with the necessary tools to create and manage users, groups, roles, and permissions within an AWS account, ensuring that only authorized users can access specific services and resources. This granular control over permissions helps maintain security and compliance by allowing organizations to enforce the principle of least privilege, meaning users only have the access necessary for their specific roles or responsibilities.

While options related to public cloud services, billing management, and data storage solutions are important elements of AWS, they do not encompass the core purpose of IAM. IAM specifically focuses on the authentication and authorization processes that manage user identities and permissions, which is essential for securing a cloud environment. By controlling who can do what within an AWS environment, IAM plays a critical role in overall cloud security strategies.