Managing Non-Human Identity Lifecycle: A Comprehensive Guide

In the modern enterprise, non-human identities (NHIs) have become a critical component of cybersecurity strategy. For every human identity in an environment, organizations typically manage at least 45 non-human identities—a ratio that is rapidly approaching 1:100 and continues to grow.

💡What are the non-human identities? A non-human identity, also commonly referred to as a machine identity or a workload identity, is any entity that is not human and can perform an action within your system, most commonly interacting exclusively with other non-humans.

This could be:

• A Kubernetes pod processing and reporting data
• An IoT sensor feeding information to a central server
• A Slack-based chatbot interacting with multiple systems

The defining characteristic of these identities is their ability to operate without direct human intervention after initial setup. However, this raises an important question: Should an identity exist if it cannot be interacted with? The answer lies in understanding that all NHIs exist to communicate with other identities—a standalone application with no inputs, outputs, or interfaces serves no practical purpose.

The Interconnected Nature of NHIs

Every NHI becomes a node in a web of interdependencies, necessitating secure communication channels between systems. This interconnectivity has several important implications:

Authentication and Secrets

All secure NHIs must possess a secret—such as an API key, token, or certificate—to establish trusted communication. These secrets typically reside in one of two locations:

1. Secrets management systems (best practice): platforms like CyberArk's Conjur, HashiCorp Vault, or AWS Secrets Manager
2. Outside of vaults (high-risk): in code or configuration files as plaintext

Origin and Ownership

Every machine identity has a human origin story. Machines cannot grant themselves permissions; each NHI was created by or represents a human identity. This connection to human creators is crucial for:

• Tracing secret creation and distribution
• Establishing legitimate identity links
• Maintaining accountability
• Ensuring proper governance

Lifecycle Stages of Non-Human Identities

Planning and Design

The foundation of effective NHI management begins with proper planning:

• Discovery and mapping of potential NHIs across all platforms
• Clear labeling and human ownership assignment
• Definition of roles and permissions following least privilege principles
• Understanding of interconnections and dependencies

Creation and Provisioning

During this stage, organizations must:

• Implement automated provisioning through CI/CD pipelines
• Establish Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
• Document permission scopes and enforcement mechanisms
• Configure proper secret storage and initial distribution

Operational Maintenance

Ongoing maintenance ensures security and functionality:

• Regular key rotation based on age and criticality
• Continuous monitoring of NHI activity
• Permission scope verification
• Relationship mapping updates
• Automated secret rotation implementation

Decommissioning

The end-of-life stage is crucial for security:

• Identification of disconnected or unused NHIs
• Thorough access reviews
• Secure deletion of associated credentials
• Removal from secret management systems
• Verification of complete deprovisioning

Security Controls and Governance

Access Management

Implement robust access controls:

• Multi-Factor Authentication where applicable
• Zero Trust model implementation
• Regular permission reviews
• Automated access validation

Monitoring and Detection

Deploy comprehensive monitoring:

• AI-powered anomaly detection
• Detailed audit logging
• Connection mapping
• Usage pattern analysis
• Secret age tracking

Compliance and Documentation

Maintain thorough records:

• Creation and modification timestamps
• Human owner information
• Permission scope documentation
• Audit trails
• Rotation schedules
• Relationship maps

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For more insights on managing secrets and keys, consider exploring GitGuardian: Secrets Security and NHI Governance.

Automation Framework

Automating NHI lifecycle management can enhance efficiency and reduce errors. An effective automation framework includes:

Workflow Design

Design workflows that automate the lifecycle management processes, from creation to decommissioning. Key components involve:

• Integration with Identity and Access Management (IAM) Systems: Leverage IAM platforms to automate the provisioning and deprovisioning of NHIs. For a deeper understanding of identity lifecycle management, refer to What is Identity Lifecycle Management? - CyberArk.
• Policy Enforcement: Automate the enforcement of security policies, such as least privilege and key rotation.

Tool Integration

Integrate lifecycle management tools with existing infrastructure and security tools, such as:

• Secrets Management: Use tools like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager to manage secrets associated with NHIs.
• CI/CD Integration: Integrate with CI/CD tools to automate the provisioning and management of NHIs in development pipelines.

Quality Controls

Implement quality controls to ensure that automated processes are functioning correctly, such as:

• Automated Testing: Regularly test workflows and automation scripts to identify and fix potential issues.
• Exception Handling: Develop robust exception handling mechanisms to address automation failures without compromising security.

Security Controls and Governance

Security controls for non-human identities work together to create multiple layers of protection. Each component plays a vital role in maintaining the security and integrity of the NHI ecosystem.

Access Management

Access management forms the foundation of NHI security through Multi-Factor Authentication and Zero Trust models. Consider a Kubernetes pod accessing a database: it must prove its identity at each step, presenting not just an API key but also validating its environment, cluster, and timing. This continuous validation ensures that a single compromised credential won't lead to a broader security breach.

Monitoring and Detection

Modern monitoring systems combine AI-powered anomaly detection with sophisticated pattern analysis. They can instantly flag unusual behavior, such as a service account operating outside its normal hours or an API key suddenly generating abnormal request volumes. By mapping connections and analyzing usage patterns, organizations gain deep visibility into their NHI ecosystem, making it easier to spot and investigate potential security issues.

Compliance and Documentation

Good documentation turns scattered security data into actionable intelligence. Each NHI needs a clear record of its creation, permissions, and interactions. This documentation proves essential during security incidents, helping teams quickly understand the scope of potential breaches and determine appropriate responses. For auditors, it demonstrates proper governance and control, while helping teams maintain a clear understanding of their NHI relationships and dependencies.

Automation Framework

Automation isn't just about efficiency—it's about consistency and reliability in NHI management. A well-designed automation framework eliminates manual errors while ensuring that security policies are consistently enforced across the organization.

The core of automated NHI management revolves around workflows that handle routine tasks like secret rotation, permission updates, and health checks. These workflows don't operate in isolation; they integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure. For example, when a development team deploys a new service through their CI/CD pipeline, the automation framework springs into action. It provisions necessary identities, establishes proper access controls, and sets up monitoring—all without manual intervention.

Integration with existing tools makes this automation practical and powerful. IAM platforms handle identity provisioning, secrets management tools secure credentials, and monitoring systems track the health and behavior of each NHI. When these systems work together, they create a self-maintaining environment where routine security tasks happen automatically, letting teams focus on more strategic initiatives.

Incident Response and Risk Management

Incident Handling

Prepare for security events:

• Secret compromise procedures
• Emergency rotation protocols
• Communication plans
• Recovery procedures

Risk Assessment

Regularly evaluate:

• Permission scope appropriateness
• Secret age and rotation needs
• Connection security
• Unused or dormant NHIs
• System dependencies

Conclusion

Managing non-human identities requires a comprehensive understanding of their interconnected nature, lifecycle stages, and security requirements. Success depends on viewing NHIs not as isolated entities but as part of a larger ecosystem where every identity must maintain secure, monitored, and properly governed relationships with other systems. By implementing robust lifecycle management, automation frameworks, and security controls, organizations can effectively manage their growing NHI population while maintaining security and compliance.

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