Understanding Non-Human Identities in Your Cloud Environment

Executive Summary

Understanding non-human identities (NHIs) in cloud environments is critical for robust security. Organizations often have more NHIs, like service accounts and API tokens, than human identities, leading to potential vulnerabilities. Lack of ownership and accountability over these identities can expose critical resources, creating security liabilities. Establishing clear ownership enables effective governance, visibility, and lifecycle management, ensuring a proactive security stance.

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Key Insights

The Growing Significance of Non-Human Identities

• Non-human identities outnumber human users by over 50:1 in many organizations.
• They include service accounts, automation tools, and API tokens, which facilitate critical operations.

The Security Risks of Unmanaged NHIs

• Lack of clear ownership leads to unmonitored access and potential exploitation by attackers.
• Without proper governance, these identities pose privacy and security threats to organizations.

The Importance of Ownership

• Ownership involves accountability for permission review and identity lifecycle management.
• Clear ownership reduces security gaps by enhancing visibility and monitoring of NHIs.

Establishing Effective Governance

• Implementing structured processes for HNIs ensures informed decision-making regarding access and usage.
• This governance is essential for maintaining compliance and protecting sensitive data in the cloud.

Strategies for Managing NHIs

• Regular reviews and audits of non-human identities to ensure appropriate access.
• Leveraging tools that provide automated management and visibility over NHIs.

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