Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions are used to manage and protect the identities of users and the access they have to resources on a network. IAM solutions can be used to protect against cyber attacks in a few key ways:

1. Authentication: IAM solutions can be used to authenticate users, devices and applications by verifying their identities before granting access to resources. This includes a traditional username and password-based authentication, multi-factor authentication and also modern passwordless methods
2. Authorization: IAM solutions can be used to authorize access to resources by granting and revoking permissions based on a user’s role and access level.
3. Identity provisioning: IAM solutions can be used to create, modify, and delete user accounts and the access that the users are assigned based on pre-defined roles, this will reduce the chance of unauthorized access or mistaken access
4. Access control: IAM solutions can be used to define and enforce access control policies that restrict access to sensitive resources to authorized users only.
5. Auditing and reporting: IAM solutions can be used to record and report on all access attempts and changes to user identities and access rights, this will allow to detection of any suspicious activity and take action accordingly.
6. Automation: IAM solutions can automate many of the manual processes involved in managing identities and access, like provisioning, de-provisioning, password resets, and more.
7. SSO and Federated identity: IAM solutions can enable SSO (single sign-on) and federated identity to simplify the login process and provide centralized management of access across multiple applications and services
8. Self-service: IAM solutions can enable users to manage their own identities and access, this will reduce the burden on IT and help users to reset their passwords or update personal information.

IAM solutions can provide a strong layer of security by ensuring that only authorized users have access to sensitive resources, and by providing visibility and control over user access. It is important to remember that IAM solutions are one part of a comprehensive security strategy and should be used in conjunction with other security measures such as network security, endpoint security, and employee education.