Best Practices for Identifying and Securing Non-Human Identities

As organizations adopt increasingly complex IT infrastructures, managing non-human identities (NHIs) has become a cornerstone of maintaining robust security. These NHIs, which include service accounts, automation scripts, and API keys, are vital for operations but can introduce significant vulnerabilities if left unmanaged. This article provides a practical guide to discovering NHIs and establishing a secure foundation to protect against unauthorized access and breaches.

Understanding the Importance of NHI Management

NHIs play a critical role in connecting applications, databases, and services within IT environments. However, if not properly tracked or secured, they can become a weak point for cyberattacks. Building an accurate inventory of NHIs helps organizations:

1. Identify all existing NHIs – This ensures no identity is left unmanaged.
    
2. Assess vulnerabilities – Detect credentials stored in insecure locations like plaintext files or code repositories.
    
3. Monitor for breaches – Establish a baseline of normal NHI behavior to spot anomalies.

Scope of NHI Discovery

The scope of NHI discovery should account for past efforts, organizational priorities, and practical constraints. Key considerations include:

1. Build on Existing Efforts: Many organizations may already have partial documentation of NHIs, such as service accounts in CMDB systems. Leveraging these records provides a valuable starting point, saving time and effort.
    
2. Focus on Risk Reduction: Avoid striving for an exhaustive inventory in the initial phase. Instead, prioritize identifying high-risk NHIs that pose immediate threats, such as those associated with privilege escalation or unauthorized access. Aim for incremental progress and focus on risk mitigation.
    
3. Incorporate Legacy and On-Prem Systems: While cloud-native environments often take center stage, legacy on-prem systems remain prevalent in many organizations. These monolithic applications, including mainframes, can harbor significant risks. Ensure the NHI discovery process includes these systems.
    
4. Adapt to Time-to-Market Needs: Speed is critical when reducing risks. Use stopgap solutions or APIs to gather necessary data quickly, even if the methods aren't perfect. A continuous monitoring strategy can identify any gaps later.
    
5. AI-Driven Insights for NHI Management: Emerging AI-based solutions can streamline the discovery process by leveraging machine learning to identify orphaned or unclassified NHIs. Tools that reduce manual efforts are particularly valuable for focusing energy on risk reduction and governance.
    
6. Credential Types and Practices: NHIs often rely on a mix of credentials, including passwords, tokens, and certificates. Inventorying these credentials helps establish best practices, such as transitioning to secure storage mechanisms and implementing workload identities.
    
7. Phased, Practical Approach: Taking a phased approach ensures progress without overwhelming teams. Start with the most vulnerable repositories, document encrypted credentials, and gradually address complex vault integrations and legacy systems.

A Two-Pronged Approach to NHI Discovery

1. Identifying NHI Accounts

Using tools like Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) and Privileged Access Management (PAM), organizations can pinpoint NHIs integrated across their applications. These tools not only locate NHIs but also classify them based on usage and privilege, making it easier to prioritize remediation.

2. Locating NHI Credential Storage

Understanding where NHI credentials are stored is just as crucial as identifying the identities themselves. This involves targeted scans across four key areas:

• Code repositories
• Operating system files
• Databases
• Secret management tools

Phased Approach to NHI Inventory

Creating an NHI inventory can be overwhelming, but a phased strategy ensures steady progress:

Phase 1: Address High-Risk Areas

Focus on discovering plaintext secrets stored in repositories, files, and databases. Tools like GitGuardian and CrowdStrike can help uncover credentials that are most vulnerable to exposure.

Phase 2: Document Encrypted Data

While encrypted credentials are more secure, their presence still needs to be accounted for. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tools, such as Symantec DLP, can locate these credentials.

Phase 3: Explore Secret Stores

Many organizations use secret management tools like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager to store credentials securely. Leveraging APIs from these tools allows for efficient inventory documentation.

Phase 4: Validate and Consolidate

Finally, reconcile all discovered NHIs with identity repositories like PAM or IGA. Perform manual reviews to address any gaps, particularly for credentials in legacy systems or less-integrated environments.

Enhancing NHI Security

Once an inventory is established, remediation can be approached in three key areas:

1. Privilege Hygiene – Enforce the principle of least privilege to minimize access.
    
2. Secure Storage – Transition credentials to secret stores or vaults.
    
3. Runtime Monitoring – Analyze usage patterns to detect anomalies and refine privilege management.

Embracing Advanced Solutions

Modern tools like NHIDR (Non-Human Identity Detection and Response) and AI-powered solutions like Oasis offer proactive risk mitigation. These tools analyze NHI behavior in real-time, flagging potential threats and reducing manual effort in inventory management.

Conclusion

Discovering and managing NHIs is essential for securing IT environments. By adopting a two-pronged approach — identifying accounts and locating storage — and following a phased strategy, organizations can effectively build a robust inventory. This foundation minimizes vulnerabilities and ensures a proactive stance against security threats, helping organizations navigate the complexities of NHI management with confidence.
 
Article Source: Viresh Garg