Which of the following refers to a method for establishing the identity of users in a cloud environment?

Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of users in a cloud environment, ensuring that individuals who claim to be a certain user actually are who they say they are. This typically involves mechanisms like usernames and passwords, biometric scans, or multi-factor authentication, which provide various levels of assurance regarding a user's identity before granting access to the cloud resources.

The importance of authentication in cloud environments cannot be overstated, as it serves as the first line of defense against unauthorized access. By effectively establishing user identities, organizations can enhance security and protect sensitive data hosted in the cloud.

While authorization, auditing, and accountability are critical components of security management in cloud environments, they serve different purposes. Authorization involves determining what resources a user is allowed to access after their identity has been authenticated. Auditing refers to the process of tracking and recording user activities and is essential for compliance and monitoring purposes. Accountability relates to ensuring that users are held responsible for their actions within the system, often facilitated by comprehensive auditing practices. All of these measures complement authentication, contributing to the overall security framework of a cloud service.