The Hidden Risks of Non-Human Identities: Insights from Dropbox’s Breach

Read full article here: https://www.oasis.security/blog/non-human-identity-risks-lessons-from-dropboxs-security-incident/?utm_source=nhimg

Dropbox disclosed unauthorized access to its Dropbox Sign (formerly HelloSign) production environment. Unlike typical breaches, this incident stemmed from the compromise of a non-human identity (NHI), specifically a service account used for back-end system operations. This breach highlights the growing importance of non-human identity management and governance in modern cybersecurity practices.

The Role of Non-Human Identities in Cybersecurity

Service accounts, tokens, API keys, and other NHIs are critical for automating operations within IT infrastructures. In the Dropbox Sign breach, the compromised service account, designed to manage system configurations, allowed a threat actor to access sensitive customer information. While no user agreements or payment data were exposed, the incident underscores the risks associated with poorly managed NHIs.

Lessons Learned: Key Takeaways

1- Comprehensive Visibility Is Critical - To effectively manage NHIs, organizations need full visibility into all service accounts within their infrastructure. This includes understanding usage, permissions, and associated resources. Without this visibility, administrators cannot track potential vulnerabilities or enforce proper governance.

2- Automate Secret Rotation for NHIs - While secret rotation is standard for human accounts, non-human identities are often neglected. Unrotated credentials increase the risk of prolonged exposure. As seen in both the Dropbox and Cloudflare incidents, manual rotations are error-prone and can leave accounts vulnerable. Investing in automated secret rotation tools ensures timely updates, reduces human error, and strengthens security posture.

3- Contextual Awareness Prevents Operational Disruption - When rotating API keys or OAuth tokens, understanding their operational context is essential. Some NHIs are tied to critical integrations; changing credentials without proper insight could disrupt services or workflows. Contextual mapping of NHIs allows administrators to safely rotate or decommission identities without impacting business operations.

4- Proactive Posture Assessment Strengthens Security - Regularly assessing NHI security posture is key. Automated assessments can evaluate access permissions, secret rotation, and policy compliance, helping organizations prioritize remediation and reduce vulnerabilities before they are exploited.

Strengthening NHI Governance Moving Forward

The Dropbox Sign breach serves as a wake-up call: NHIs must be treated as first-class citizens in cybersecurity strategies. Organizations should:

• Inventory and continuously monitor all NHIs across environments
• Automate secret rotation and lifecycle management for service accounts
• Leverage contextual insights to safely manage access and credentials
• Conduct regular posture assessments to identify and remediate risks

By adopting these practices, organizations can minimize NHI-related vulnerabilities, protect sensitive data, and maintain stakeholder trust.

For Dropbox users and other organizations looking to enhance their non-human identity security, Oasis Security provides comprehensive visibility, lifecycle management, and automated remediation guidance to ensure NHIs are properly governed.