An Azure resource can use a system-assigned _____________ to access Azure services.

A system-assigned managed identity is a feature in Azure that allows Azure resources to authenticate to Azure services without requiring explicit credentials in the application code. When an Azure resource is assigned a system-assigned managed identity, Azure creates an identity for that resource in Azure Active Directory. This identity can be used to obtain tokens that can be utilized to authenticate and interact with various Azure services securely.

Managed identities streamline the process of handling credentials, as Azure takes care of the lifecycle of the identity, including its creation, management, and deletion. This enhances security by minimizing the risk associated with hardcoding credentials or managing secrets manually. Furthermore, Azure services that support Azure AD authentication can leverage these managed identities to authorize access securely.

This functionality is especially useful for services such as Azure Key Vault, Azure Storage, and Azure SQL Database, where the resource needs to perform security-sensitive operations without end-users needing to manage credentials openly. Overall, using system-assigned managed identities helps organizations implement best practices related to security and seamless integration between services in Azure.