What is Credential Management?
Most security breaches happen because attackers get access through stolen or misused credentials. These credentials often go unchecked for months, giving attackers time to move through systems without being noticed.
When credentials are not rotated, monitored, or removed properly, they become an open door for threats. Even strong network defenses fail if access control is weak at the credential level.
This is why credential management has become a critical part of modern security. It helps reduce the risks that come from poor handling of passwords, tokens, and other access methods.
It also supports better control over user roles, machine access, and system authentication. This article explains how credential management works, why it matters, best practices to follow, and how to prepare for a credential-less future.
What is Credential Management?
Credential management is the process of storing, updating, and protecting digital credentials that are used to verify user identity and control access to systems, applications, or devices. These credentials include items like passwords, keys, tokens, and certificates.
It also includes actions like monitoring access, removing outdated credentials, and enforcing security rules. Credential management helps make sure that only the right users can access the right resources at the right time.
Types of Credentials
Passwords: Text-based secrets used with usernames to log into systems
Certificates: Digital files that prove the identity of a user or device
Tokens: Temporary codes used to allow access during an active session
Keys: Encrypted values used for authentication between systems
Why is Credential Management Important?
Credential management protects sensitive data by making sure only verified users can reach secure areas. Without proper control, stolen or weak credentials can let attackers enter systems and cause damage. Managing credentials helps reduce the chances of a breach.
Attackers often try to collect passwords using phishing emails or fake websites. If users reuse the same password across different services, one stolen password can give access to many systems. Credential management reduces this risk by enforcing password rules and detecting suspicious activity.
Many systems and apps need machine access, not just human access. These machines use credentials, too. If credentials in scripts or code are not protected, attackers can steal them. Managing credentials in these places prevents this kind of leak.
Some users may change roles or leave the organization, but their credentials can remain active. Without a clear way to track and remove these credentials, they can be misused later. Credential management helps remove access when it is no longer needed.
7 Best Practices for Credential Management
1. Avoid Sharing and Reusing Credentials
Each user should have their own credentials that are not shared with others. Sharing makes it hard to track who is doing what.
Reusing the same password on multiple systems increases the chance of credential stuffing attacks. Using unique credentials for each account helps keep access limited and traceable.
2. Apply the Zero Trust Principle
The Zero Trust principle means no user or device is trusted by default. Access is only given after verifying identity and checking if access is needed.
Even inside the network, users must prove who they are each time. This reduces the risk of attackers moving through systems without being stopped.
3. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
MFA requires users to give more than one proof of identity before access is granted. This could include a password and a one-time code sent to a device.
Even if one factor is stolen, access cannot be gained without the second one. MFA helps block unauthorized logins from compromised credentials.
4. Use Just-in-Time (JIT) Access
JIT access gives users entry only when needed and takes it away right after the task is done. This stops credentials from staying active when they are not in use.
It lowers the risk of long-term access being used for attacks and keeps access tightly controlled.
5. Secure Credentials in CI/CD Pipelines
CI/CD pipelines use automation to deploy code, and they often need credentials to do so. These credentials should be stored securely, not inside the code or scripts. Tools like secret managers can help store them in a safe way and only make them available when needed during the pipeline process.
6. Regularly Audit and Rotate Credentials
Auditing means checking who has access and if that access is still needed. Rotation means changing passwords or keys often so they do not stay the same for too long. Together, these actions help reduce the risk of old or unused credentials being used in attacks.
7. Monitor and Detect Credential Misuse
Credential misuse can include failed login attempts, logins from unknown locations, or access to systems not related to the user’s role. Systems should track this behavior and send alerts when something unusual happens. This helps stop attacks before they cause harm.
Credential Management Examples
1. User Login Rotation with Expiry Policies
User login rotation with expiry policies means setting a fixed time for credentials to expire and requiring renewal.
This limits how long a password or key can stay active, reducing the chance of misuse. It ensures that even if credentials are leaked, they will not remain valid for long. Rotation can be scheduled automatically and enforced across all users to keep access up to date and secure.
2. DevOps Secret Management in Pipelines
In DevOps pipelines, secret management means storing and handling credentials like API keys or tokens in a secure way during code deployment. These secrets should not be placed in plain text or inside the source code.
Instead, they are managed using environment variables or secret vaults with access controls. This prevents attackers from finding and using sensitive information during automated processes.
3. Ephemeral Access via JIT and MFA Combination
Ephemeral access using just-in-time and multi-factor authentication gives users access only for a short period and only after verifying identity through multiple steps.
This reduces standing access and limits the time credentials can be used. It also adds another layer of protection through MFA, making it harder for attackers to use stolen credentials even if they gain temporary access.
What is a Credential Management System?
A credential management system is a software platform that helps organize, store, and control digital credentials from a central place. It gives admins tools to manage passwords, tokens, certificates, and keys for all users and devices.
A good system supports internal policies, works well with your current apps, adjusts to business growth, and is simple to use. It keeps all access-related data in one place so that admins can handle credentials quickly and securely.
Benefits of Implementing a Credential Management System
A credential management system improves how credentials are tracked, updated, and protected.
It helps lower risks by giving better control and visibility over who has access to what. It can scan the full list of credentials in use and make sure they follow your company’s rules.
This reduces the manual work of admins and limits mistakes. It also adds a safety layer to catch leaks or unauthorized access that users might miss.
Using a CMS also lowers IT expenses by removing the need for extra tools or teams to manage security tasks.
Features to Look For in a Credential Management System
Important features include:
Granular Handling: Create, update, and remove credentials for each user or device with full control.
Automation: Use automated tools to manage credentials and audit activities across the system.
Machine Maintenance: Manage how machines exchange credentials safely and without delays.
Zero Trust Compatibility: Add just-in-time access and temporary certificates to follow strict verification rules.
Threat Mitigation: Detect and report unsafe actions or policy violations in real time.
Credential-Free Security: Start moving to a system where credentials are no longer stored or reused, making attacks less likely.
The Future is Credential-less
Credential-less security means removing stored credentials like passwords and keys from the system. It does not remove identity-based authentication. Instead, it replaces it with secure methods like ephemeral certificates and cryptographic algorithms.
These methods work through automation and reduce the need for users to manage or remember credentials. This helps lower the chance of stolen or leaked credentials.
Moving to a credential-less system can also bring these changes:
Lower costs for managing credentials
No need for password vaults or credentials rotation
Faster and safer logins triggered by devices
Less clutter in credential records
Better compliance with security rules
Easier ways to detect threats in advance
Transitioning to Credential-less Authentication with SSH
With SSH, your system can stay secure without depending on stored credentials. SSH supports just-in-time access and Zero Trust rules. It blocks unauthorized logins, tracks user actions, and flags any strange behavior.
It still allows standard login methods but also gives the tools needed to shift toward a system with fewer credentials. Over time, you can move to a setup where most passwords and keys are removed, and access is granted only when needed and verified.
Ready to level up your security network? Contact us today to learn more about how Zero Trust Access Management can better protect your organization’s assets against the threats of the present and the future.
FAQ
What is credential management, and how does it work?
Credential management is the process of storing and protecting passwords, keys, and tokens. It controls who can access systems and ensures only verified users get in.
Why is credential management important in cybersecurity?
It helps prevent unauthorized access and data breaches by keeping login details secure and updated.
What are examples of credential management tools?
These tools store, rotate, and monitor credentials to manage access across users, devices, and applications.
How do organizations manage user credentials securely?
They use secure storage, multi-factor authentication, access control, and regular audits to protect credentials.
What are the best practices for credential management?
Avoid sharing credentials, rotate them often, use just-in-time access, and monitor for misuse.
