Securing the Enterprise: A Guide to Non-Human Identity Lifecycle Orchestration

Understanding the Non-Human Identity Landscape

Imagine a world where every piece of software, every automated process, and every cloud service has its own unique digital identity. This is the reality of today's enterprise, driven by the rise of non-human identities (NHIs).

Non-human identities (NHIs) are digital credentials that represent and authenticate non-human entities, such as applications, services, and automated tools. ConductorOne defines them as unique identifiers, similar to "social security numbers," enabling secure communication and information sharing. These identities allow machines and software to prove who they are when interacting with other systems. They do this by being used in cryptographic protocols or authentication mechanisms to establish trust and secure data exchange between systems.

• Definition: NHIs are digital credentials for automated actors, including machines, software, and processes.
• Purpose: They provide secure authentication and authorization for non-human entities.
• Functionality: NHIs function like human usernames and passwords, but are designed for machines.
• Examples: Common examples include api keys, service accounts, tokens, and certificates.

The number of NHIs is growing rapidly due to factors like cloud computing, IoT, automation, and ai. According to cybersecurity experts like Arjun Thusu, CIO, Financial Services, the modern landscape is changing all the time, making it imperative to have dynamic and adaptable NHI management strategies.

• Driving factors: Key drivers include cloud computing, IoT devices, automation, and ai adoption.
• Scale: NHIs often vastly outnumber human identities, sometimes by a ratio of 20:1 or more. (Top 10 Questions About Non Human Identities (NHIs) Answered)
• Challenge: Managing the sheer volume and complexity of NHIs poses a significant challenge for organizations.
• Business impact: Effectively managing NHIs influences your security posture and ability to innovate quickly.

While NHIs serve a similar purpose to human identities, there are critical differences in how they are managed and secured. As Kyle Weckman, CISO, Antares Capital, points out, traditional privileged access management solutions often fall short in addressing the unique challenges of NHIs.

• Centralization: Human identities are more centralized, while NHIs are often decentralized across various systems.
• Management: It and security teams typically manage human identities, while developers often handle NHIs.
• Lifecycle: Human identities are relatively stable, whereas NHIs are frequently created and deleted.
• Authentication: Humans use multi-factor authentication (MFA), while NHIs primarily rely on secrets like api keys and tokens. This reliance on secrets is a key reason for their vulnerability, as traditional MFA is not feasible for machine-to-machine interaction.

Now that we understand what non-human identities are and their growing prevalence, it's crucial to address the imperative of managing their entire lifecycle effectively. The next section will delve into the specific challenges organizations face in managing these digital identities.

The Imperative of Non-Human Identity Lifecycle Orchestration

Did you know that non-human identities (NHIs) are often the weakest link in an organization's security posture? Effective lifecycle orchestration is the answer to managing and securing these identities.

NHI lifecycle orchestration involves managing every stage of an NHI's existence. This includes provisioning, authorization, monitoring, and revocation. The goal is to ensure secure and efficient operation of automated processes. Ultimately, it encompasses all types of NHIs across various systems and environments.

Security is a primary driver. Lifecycle orchestration prevents unauthorized access, data breaches, and privilege escalation. Compliance is another key factor, as it helps organizations meet regulatory requirements like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. For example, proper lifecycle management ensures data access is logged and auditable (GDPR), sensitive patient data is protected (HIPAA), and secure transaction processing is maintained (PCI DSS).

Efficiency also benefits, with streamlined automation, reduced manual intervention, and improved resource utilization. Finally, it enables organizations to manage NHIs as they grow and adopt new technologies, providing scalability.

NHIs are increasingly targeted in cyberattacks. Compromised NHIs can provide privileged access to sensitive data and systems. Attack vectors include secret leakage, over-provisioning, and vulnerable third-party integrations.

As Arjun Thusu, CIO, Financial Services, noted earlier, the modern landscape is constantly changing, meaning companies must stay ahead of the curve.

Consider a retail company using api keys to connect its e-commerce platform with a payment gateway. Without proper lifecycle orchestration, these keys could be exposed, leading to unauthorized transactions and unauthorized access to customer payment information. A healthcare provider using service accounts to access patient data needs lifecycle orchestration to ensure only authorized systems can access sensitive information. Without orchestration, a compromised service account could lead to a HIPAA violation and a data breach of patient records.

The challenges of managing NHIs are growing. The next section will discuss the specific challenges organizations face in managing NHIs.

Key Stages of the NHI Lifecycle

Securing non-human identities (NHIs) requires careful attention to each stage of their lifecycle. Let's explore how to manage NHIs effectively from creation to retirement.

Identity provisioning is the initial stage, involving the automated creation of NHIs. This often happens through scripts or configuration management tools. Each NHI receives unique credentials, such as api keys, tokens, or certificates. Crucially, associate each NHI with metadata defining its purpose, permissions, and expiration date. This metadata is crucial for automated policy enforcement, auditing, and timely revocation of NHIs.

For example, a retail company can use automated scripts to create api keys for each new third-party vendor integrated into its e-commerce platform. These keys come with specific permissions, restricting vendor access to only necessary data.

Next, access authorization verifies NHI credentials when systems try to access resources. The system checks the credentials and ensures the NHI has permission for the requested action. Implementing granular access controls is vital to determine which actions each NHI can perform. Enforcing the principle of least privilege ensures NHIs only get the access they need.

Consider a healthcare provider using service accounts. Access authorization ensures these accounts can only access patient data relevant to their specific function. For instance, a billing service account should not have access to medical records.

Lifecycle management includes continuous monitoring of NHI activity. This helps identify suspicious behavior or unauthorized access attempts. Regularly rotating credentials reduces the risk of compromise, as it reduces the window of opportunity for attackers if credentials are leaked. Promptly disable or delete NHIs when they are no longer needed, or if you suspect a compromise, as this prevents unauthorized access from dormant or compromised identities.

Many organizations need automated provisioning and de-provisioning as the most important capability of an NHI tool. A manufacturing company can integrate its NHI management with its HR system. This automatically revokes access for automated accounts associated with terminated employees.

By focusing on these key stages, organizations can significantly improve their security posture. The next section will discuss the specific challenges organizations face in managing NHIs.

Challenges in Implementing NHI Lifecycle Orchestration

Implementing non-human identity (NHI) lifecycle orchestration faces numerous hurdles that can leave organizations vulnerable. Successfully navigating these challenges is critical for maintaining a strong security posture.

The sheer number of NHIs often overwhelms organizations. Tracking and monitoring these identities becomes difficult, increasing the risk of oversight and potential vulnerabilities. Decentralized management, where different teams handle NHIs independently, further complicates the issue, leading to a lack of centralized visibility.

The evolving threat landscape adds another layer of complexity. Cybercriminals constantly develop new techniques to exploit NHIs, requiring continuous adaptation and proactive security measures. For example, a large financial institution might struggle to monitor thousands of api keys used by various microservices, creating blind spots for potential attacks.

Limited visibility into NHI creation, usage, and permissions poses a significant challenge. Organizations often lack a comprehensive understanding of which NHIs exist, what they are doing, and who is responsible for them. Over-provisioning, where NHIs are granted excessive permissions, and privilege creep, where permissions accumulate over time, create security risks.

Shadow It, the use of unauthorized NHIs created outside of It's control, introduces further risks. A marketing team might create an unmanaged api key to integrate a new analytics tool, bypassing security protocols. This creates significant blind spots because unmanaged NHIs bypass security reviews, may have weak credentials, lack proper access controls, and are not included in monitoring.

Securely storing and managing NHI credentials, such as api keys and tokens, is paramount. Mishandling these credentials can lead to unauthorized access and data breaches.

Lack of automation in NHI lifecycle processes can result in errors, inconsistencies, and delays. Given the sheer volume of NHIs, manual processes are not only error-prone but also completely unscalable, leading to significant security gaps. Insufficient awareness and training among stakeholders exacerbate these challenges. Without proper training, developers and administrators might misconfigure NHIs or fail to follow security best practices.

Non-Human Identity Managementroup (NHIMG) is the leading independent authority in NHI Research and Advisory. NHIMG empowers organizations to tackle the critical risks posed by Non-Human Identities (NHIs). Leverage Nonhuman Identity Consultancy to establish a robust NHI lifecycle management strategy tailored to your organization's needs. Stay updated on non-human identity through NHIMG resources and advisory services.

Addressing these challenges requires a strategic approach that combines technology, processes, and education. The next section will explore how to implement effective NHI lifecycle orchestration strategies.

Best Practices for NHI Lifecycle Orchestration

Securing non-human identities (NHIs) requires a proactive approach. Let's explore some best practices for orchestrating the NHI lifecycle to minimize risks.

Organizations should adopt a Zero Trust approach for all NHIs. This means that you should never assume trustworthiness, even if an NHI is already authenticated. Instead, organizations must verify every access request to ensure that only authorized entities gain access to sensitive resources.

• Verify every access request: Validate each request, even for authenticated NHIs. This ensures that compromised or misconfigured identities cannot bypass security controls.
• Employ ongoing verification: Implement continuous verification mechanisms throughout the NHI lifecycle, not just during initial access requests. This helps to detect and respond to potential threats in real time.

The principle of least privilege (PoLP) dictates that NHIs should only have the minimum level of access needed to perform their tasks. This reduces the potential damage if an NHI is compromised.

• Assign granular permissions: Grant permissions at the most granular level possible, allowing NHIs to access only the specific data and resources they require.
• Store credentials in secure vaults: Protect NHI credentials by storing them in secure vaults with encryption and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for access.
• Implement dynamic authorization: Utilize systems that can adjust permissions based on context or risk factors. This provides additional protection for sensitive data, adapting access rights as needed. For example, an NHI's access could be temporarily elevated for a specific task and then automatically reduced afterward, or access could be restricted based on the source IP address or time of day.

Continuous monitoring and auditing of NHI activity are essential for detecting and responding to suspicious behavior. Organizations should proactively watch for unusual patterns that could indicate a security breach.

• Monitor NHI activity: Implement advanced behavioral analytics to detect unusual NHI activity patterns. Look for things like accessing data outside of normal hours or attempting actions beyond their usual scope.
• Configure real-time alerts: Set up real-time alerts for suspicious NHI behavior, allowing security teams to respond quickly and investigate potential threats.
• Conduct regular audits: Schedule routine audits of NHI permissions to identify unused or excessive access. Automate the auditing process to reduce the risk of human error and ensure consistent monitoring.

To address the significant challenges in managing NHIs, adopting a set of best practices is essential. The next section will explore how to select the right tools for NHI lifecycle orchestration.

Selecting the Right NHI Management Solution

Selecting the right non-human identity (NHI) management solution is crucial for maintaining a strong security posture. But with so many options, how do you choose the best one for your organization?

When evaluating NHI management solutions, several key features can help secure your infrastructure. A robust solution should offer automated lifecycle management. This includes provisioning, rotation, and decommissioning of NHIs, which is essential for handling the sheer volume of these identities. Granular access controls, adhering to the principle of least privilege (PoLP), ensure NHIs only have the necessary access to perform their tasks.

Continuous monitoring and auditing are also vital for detecting anomalies and potential security breaches. Look for solutions offering secrets management to secure api keys, tokens, and certificates. Secrets management is so critical for NHIs because secrets (like api keys) are the primary authentication mechanism for many NHIs, and their compromise can lead to significant breaches. Holistic contextual visibility into NHI usage patterns provides insights into dependencies and relationships within your ecosystem. Finally, ensure the solution offers seamless integration capabilities with your existing security tools and cloud platforms.

As the OWASP Non-Human Identity (NHI) Top 10 project, which identifies and categorizes the most critical security risks associated with NHIs, notes, securing NHIs is as crucial as protecting human user accounts.

A key consideration is how well the NHI management solution integrates with your existing security infrastructure. This includes integration with secret management tools like HashiCorp Vault and Azure Key Vault. Integration with privileged access management (PAM) solutions is also important. Seamless integration with cloud service providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) and devops tools (ci/cd pipelines, configuration management) is vital for streamlined workflows.

According to the CSA NHI Report, 26% of organizations need management of secrets lifecycle as the most important capability of an NHI tool.

The right solution helps you detect and remediate risks associated with over-permissioned or dormant NHIs. Automated workflows for revoking access and rotating credentials can significantly reduce your attack surface. Look for reporting and analytics capabilities to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

Choosing the right NHI management solution is a critical step in securing your enterprise. The next section will discuss how to implement effective NHI lifecycle orchestration strategies.

The Future of NHI Management: AI and Beyond

The non-human identity (NHI) landscape is evolving rapidly; ai is poised to revolutionize NHI management. Let's explore how ai and proactive security can shape the future of NHI lifecycle orchestration.

• ai can detect anomalous NHI behavior, such as unusual access patterns, and predict potential risks.

• ai automates tasks like credential rotation and access reviews, improving efficiency and security.

• Governance extends to ai agents, ensuring these emerging NHIs adhere to security policies. This governance can be achieved through defining clear policies, implementing access controls for ai agents, and continuous monitoring of their actions.

• Shift to proactive measures by continuously assessing and mitigating NHI-related risks.

• Stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape by monitoring for new attack vectors.

• Organizations can integrate threat intelligence to anticipate and neutralize potential threats.

Effective NHI lifecycle orchestration is critical for modern enterprises. By adopting best practices and implementing appropriate solutions, organizations can enhance security, reduce risk, and improve efficiency. The future of NHI management involves leveraging advanced technologies like ai to create more resilient and secure automated systems.