Navigating Non-Human Identity Brokering Patterns: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding Non-Human Identities (NHIs)

Did you know that non-human identities (NHIs) outnumber human identities by a significant margin in most organizations? This explosion in NHIs creates both opportunities and challenges that we'll explore in this article.

At its core, a non-human identity refers to any digital identity that isn't tied to a specific person. Think of them as the accounts and credentials used by machines, applications, and automated processes to access resources and perform tasks.

• Service accounts: These accounts allow applications to run and access resources without human intervention. For example, a payroll system might use a service account to connect with a banking system and execute payments, as noted by senhasegura.
• API keys: These keys grant access to specific APIs, enabling different systems to communicate and exchange data. Imagine an e-commerce platform using an API key to access a payment gateway.
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA) bots: These bots automate repetitive tasks, using their own credentials to log in and interact with various systems. Think of a bot that automatically processes invoices in an accounting system.
• IoT Devices: Each IoT device has its own identity to securely communicate with other devices and platforms. Such as Smart sensors in manufacturing plants.

NHIs are essential for modern IT infrastructure, enabling automation, seamless integration, and increased efficiency. However, they also introduce significant security risks. SiliconANGLE reports that the increasing number of NHIs expands the attack surface for threat actors.

As Cybersecurity Tribe notes, if even one NHI is exposed, it can serve as a gateway for lateral movement and persistent access within an organization.

Managing NHIs presents unique challenges compared to human identities. They are often scattered across different systems, lack clear ownership, and may have excessive privileges. This complexity makes it difficult to track, monitor, and secure these identities effectively.

Understanding the nature and challenges associated with non-human identities is the first step towards effectively managing them. Next, we'll delve into the concept of Non-Human Identity Brokering and how it can help address these challenges.

What is Non-Human Identity Brokering?

Did you know that managing non-human identities can be like navigating a complex maze? Non-Human Identity Brokering offers a streamlined path. Let's explore what that means.

At its core, Non-Human Identity Brokering (NHIB) is the process of centrally managing and distributing identities and credentials for machines, applications, and services. Think of it as a "middleman" that securely facilitates authentication and authorization for NHIs. This approach addresses the challenges of scattered identities, privilege sprawl, and lack of visibility.

• Centralized Management: NHIB provides a single point of control for managing all NHIs. Instead of identities being scattered across various systems, they are consolidated and managed in one place. For example, a global retail company might use NHIB to manage API keys for its various e-commerce services, ensuring consistent policies and easier auditing.
• Simplified Authentication: NHIB simplifies the process by providing a standardized way for NHIs to authenticate and access resources. This reduces complexity and improves security. Imagine a healthcare provider using NHIB to manage access to patient data for different applications, ensuring each application uses a consistent and secure authentication method.
• Enhanced Security: By centralizing control, NHIB allows for consistent application of security policies, such as multi-factor authentication and regular credential rotation. As SiliconANGLE reported, securing NHIs is critical to reducing the attack surface.
• Improved Auditability: NHIB provides a clear audit trail of all NHI activity, making it easier to track and monitor access. This is particularly important for compliance and regulatory purposes. For instance, a financial institution might use NHIB to track which automated trading systems accessed specific market data, providing a clear record for auditors.
• Reduced Risk of Credential Exposure: NHIB helps to minimize the risk of credentials being exposed or misused. By centralizing credential storage and enforcing regular rotation, NHIB reduces the likelihood of breaches. As Cybersecurity Tribe previously mentioned, exposed NHIs can lead to lateral movement within an organization.

Imagine a large manufacturing plant that uses numerous IoT devices to monitor production lines. Each of these devices requires access to a central database to report its data. With NHIB, each device can be assigned a unique identity and granted access to the database through the broker, ensuring that only authorized devices can access the data. This not only secures the data but also simplifies the management of these device identities.

As the number of NHIs continues to grow, the need for effective management becomes even more critical. NHIB provides a scalable and secure solution for managing these identities, helping organizations reduce risk and improve operational efficiency.

Now that we understand what Non-Human Identity Brokering is, let's dive into the common patterns used to implement it.

Common NHI Brokering Patterns

Did you know that Non-Human Identity Brokering can be implemented in various ways, each with its own strengths and weaknesses? Let's explore some common patterns to help you choose the best approach for your organization.

One common pattern involves using a centralized credential store to manage and distribute NHI credentials. In this model, all credentials are stored in a secure, centralized vault, and NHIs retrieve their credentials from this vault as needed.

• Benefits: Centralized control, enhanced security, and simplified auditing.
• Example: A financial institution uses a centralized vault to store API keys for its various trading systems, ensuring strong encryption and access controls. This also allows the company to easily audit which systems are accessing sensitive market data.

Another popular pattern is federated identity, where NHIs use existing identity providers (IdPs) to authenticate and authorize access to resources. This approach leverages established trust relationships and simplifies identity management.

• Benefits: Reduced administrative overhead, improved user experience, and enhanced security.
• Example: A healthcare provider allows its partner applications to access patient data using federated identities. Each application authenticates via a central IdP, which then grants access based on pre-defined policies.

An API gateway can also act as an NHI broker, managing access to backend services and enforcing security policies. In this pattern, NHIs authenticate with the API gateway, which then authorizes access to the appropriate services.

• Benefits: Centralized security enforcement, traffic management, and improved performance.
• Example: A global retail company uses an API gateway to manage access to its various e-commerce services. The gateway ensures that each application authenticates using a valid API key and enforces rate limits to prevent abuse.

Just-In-Time (JIT) provisioning involves dynamically creating NHIs when they are needed and de-provisioning them when they are no longer required. This approach minimizes the risk of orphaned or unused credentials.

• Benefits: Reduced attack surface, improved compliance, and efficient resource utilization.
• Example: A cloud service provider uses JIT provisioning to create temporary API keys for its customers' applications, granting them access to specific resources only for a limited time.

Choosing the right NHI brokering pattern depends on your organization's specific needs and infrastructure. Next, we'll explore the security considerations you need to keep in mind when implementing NHI brokering.

Security Considerations for NHI Brokering

Implementing Non-Human Identity Brokering (NHIB) can significantly enhance security, but it also introduces new considerations that must be addressed. Neglecting these aspects could inadvertently create vulnerabilities.

Here are key security considerations for NHI Brokering:

• Secure Credential Storage: The NHIB system itself must have robust security measures to protect the stored credentials. This includes strong encryption, access controls, and regular security audits. Think of it as a digital vault; its strength determines the security of everything inside.
• Least Privilege Access: Ensure that NHIs are granted only the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks. Over-permissioned NHIs can be exploited to gain broader access to sensitive resources. As senhasegura highlights, managing access and privilege levels is critical for mitigating risks associated with NHIs.
• Regular Credential Rotation: Implement automated credential rotation to minimize the risk of compromised credentials being used for unauthorized access. Frequent rotation limits the window of opportunity for attackers.
• Monitoring and Auditing: Continuously monitor NHI activity and maintain detailed audit logs to detect and respond to suspicious behavior. Real-time monitoring can help identify potential breaches early on.
• Secure Communication Channels: Ensure that all communication between NHIs and the NHIB system is encrypted and authenticated. This prevents eavesdropping and tampering.

One potential risk is the compromise of the NHIB system itself. If an attacker gains control of the broker, they could potentially access all of the credentials managed by the system. To mitigate this, it's essential to implement strong security controls around the NHIB system, including multi-factor authentication, intrusion detection, and regular vulnerability scanning.

Another risk is the potential for privilege escalation. An attacker who compromises an NHI with limited privileges might attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in the NHIB system to gain higher levels of access. To prevent this, it's crucial to follow the principle of least privilege and regularly review and update access controls.

Consider a large e-commerce platform that uses NHIB to manage API keys for its various microservices. The platform implements regular key rotation, monitors API usage for anomalies, and enforces strict access controls to ensure that each microservice only has access to the data it needs.

As mentioned earlier, the increasing number of NHIs expands the attack surface for threat actors, making robust security measures essential.

Now that we've covered the security considerations, let's move on to a step-by-step guide for implementing NHI Brokering.

Implementing NHI Brokering: A Step-by-Step Guide

Implementing NHI Brokering might seem daunting, but it's achievable with a structured approach. Think of it as building a secure bridge between your NHIs and your valuable resources.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:

1. Assess Your Current NHI Landscape: Begin by identifying all NHIs within your organization. This includes service accounts, API keys, RPA bots, IoT devices, and any other non-human entities requiring access to resources. As senhasegura points out, understanding the access and privilege levels of NHIs is critical.

2. Define Clear Security Policies: Establish policies that dictate how NHIs should be managed, including credential rotation, access controls, and monitoring. These policies should align with industry best practices and regulatory requirements.

3. Choose an NHI Brokering Pattern: Select a pattern that best fits your organization's needs. Options include centralized credential stores, federated identity, API gateways, and Just-In-Time (JIT) provisioning, as previously discussed.

4. Implement Secure Credential Storage: Set up a secure vault to store and manage NHI credentials. Ensure that the vault is properly secured with strong encryption and access controls.

5. Automate Credential Rotation: Implement automated credential rotation to minimize the risk of compromised credentials. Regular rotation helps limit the window of opportunity for attackers.

Consider a cloud service provider managing numerous microservices. By implementing JIT provisioning, they can dynamically create temporary API keys for each microservice, granting access to specific resources for a limited time. This reduces the attack surface and ensures efficient resource utilization.

Another example is a healthcare organization using federated identities to manage access to patient data for partner applications. Each application authenticates via a central IdP, which then grants access based on predefined policies, simplifying identity management and enhancing security.

Continuously monitor NHI activity and maintain detailed audit logs to detect and respond to suspicious behavior. Real-time monitoring can help identify potential breaches early on. It's also crucial to ensure that all communication between NHIs and the NHIB system is encrypted and authenticated to prevent eavesdropping and tampering.

With these steps in place, you'll be well on your way to establishing a robust NHI brokering system. Next, we'll explore the tools and technologies available to help you implement NHI brokering effectively.

Tools and Technologies for NHI Brokering

Choosing the right tools can make Non-Human Identity Brokering (NHIB) significantly easier. But with so many options available, how do you select the best fit for your organization?

Several categories of tools can assist with NHIB implementation:

• Secrets Management Solutions: These tools, like HashiCorp Vault, securely store and manage sensitive credentials such as API keys and passwords. They often include features like access control, auditing, and credential rotation.
• Privileged Access Management (PAM) Solutions: PAM solutions help control and monitor access to privileged accounts, including those used by NHIs. As senhasegura notes, PAM tools provides visibility and automate processes.
• Identity Providers (IdPs): IdPs like Okta or Azure AD can be used to manage NHI identities and authenticate access to resources. Federated identity patterns often leverage IdPs for NHIB.
• API Gateways: Gateways such as Kong or Apigee act as intermediaries between NHIs and backend services, enforcing security policies and managing access.

When selecting tools, consider the following:

• Integration Capabilities: Ensure the tools integrate with your existing infrastructure and applications. Seamless integration simplifies deployment and management.
• Scalability: Choose tools that can scale to accommodate the growing number of NHIs in your organization. Scalability ensures that your NHIB system can handle future growth.
• Automation: Prioritize tools that offer automation features for tasks such as credential rotation and access provisioning. Automation reduces manual effort and improves security.

By carefully evaluating these tool categories and considerations, you can build a robust NHIB system tailored to your organization's unique needs. Now, let's peek into the future and see what's next for NHI Brokering.