The Hidden Dangers of API Tokens in NHI Security: Lessons from BeyondTrust Breach

Read full article here: https://www.britive.com/resource/blog/mitigating-api-token-nhi-risks/?utm_source=nhimg

The recent security breach involving a major vendor has once again highlighted the dangers of static credentials, particularly API tokens used by non-human identities (NHIs). As organizations scale across multi-cloud environments, traditional approaches to privileged access management (PAM) are proving insufficient. This incident underscores the urgent need to modernize credential management and adopt cloud privileged access management (CPAM) strategies.

Why Static API Tokens Are a Risk

Static API tokens function like leaving a key under the mat in a smart home, convenient, but dangerously easy for attackers to exploit. Once compromised, they provide persistent access with little oversight. Attackers can leverage these tokens to move laterally, exfiltrate sensitive data, and evade detection.

The BeyondTrust CVEs linked to legacy PAM modules exposed how static credentials and outdated security models expand the attack surface. With CVSS scores as high as 9.8, these vulnerabilities allowed command injection, enabling attackers to execute malicious code and compromise privileged systems.

The Bigger Problem: Legacy PAM vs. Modern NHI Security

Traditional PAM solutions were designed for human users and on-premise infrastructures. They struggle to scale in cloud-native environments where NHIs, including service accounts, workloads, and APIs—far outnumber human identities. Managing these with static, over-privileged accounts creates blind spots, compliance challenges, and mounting security debt.

To address these gaps, organizations must adopt modern CPAM solutions that enforce Zero Trust, least privilege, and just-in-time (JIT) access for all identities, human and non-human alike.

How Modern CPAM Mitigates API Token Risks

A modern cloud-native approach, like Britive’s CPAM platform, provides multiple layers of protection against API token risks:

1. Just-in-Time Access – Replace static API tokens with ephemeral credentials that expire automatically after use.
2. Centralized Visibility – Real-time monitoring and audit trails to detect anomalous token activity.
3. Granular Role-Based Controls – Enforce least privilege by issuing tokens with limited, task-specific access.
4. Dynamic Credential Rotation – Eliminate long-lived tokens by generating short-lived ones on demand.
5. Anomaly Detection & Zero Trust Enforcement – Continuously verify every token request to prevent misuse.
6. Secure Token Vaulting – Deliver tokens securely without long-term storage or exposure in logs.
7. Cloud-Native Architecture – Protect NHIs across AWS, Azure, GCP, hybrid, and multi-cloud workloads.

Key Takeaway

This breach is a wake-up call for enterprises: static credentials are no longer acceptable in modern security architectures. Organizations must evolve beyond legacy PAM tools and adopt cloud-native CPAM solutions that secure API tokens, service accounts, and other NHIs with dynamic, just-in-time access.

By shifting from static keys to ephemeral credentials, security teams can reduce attack surfaces, accelerate compliance with frameworks like SOC 2 and NIST, and fully align with Zero Trust principles.