> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://karansingh.gitbook.io/aws-saa-c02/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://karansingh.gitbook.io/aws-saa-c02/basics-of-iam.md).

# Basics of IAM

* A web service that **helps you control access to AWS resources.**<br>

* Use it to **control who is authenticated (signed in) and authorized (has permissions)** to use resources.<br>

* When you first create an AWS account, you begin with a **single sign-in identity that has complete access to all AWS services** and resources in the account.

  * This identity is called the **AWS account root user**.

* AWS strongly recommend that you **do not use the root user for your everyday tasks**, even the administrative ones.<br>

* **Securely lock away the root user credentials** and use them to perform only a few account and service management tasks.