This International Standard defines and establishes a framework for access management (AM) and the secure management of the process to access information and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) resources, associated with the accountability of a subject within some context. This International Standard provides concepts, terms and definitions applicable to distributed access management techniques in network environments. This International Standard also provides explanations about related architecture, components and management functions. The subjects involved in access management might be uniquely recognized to access information systems, as defined in ISO/IEC 24760. The nature and qualities of physical access control involved in access management systems are outside the scope of this International Standard.