What is Non-Human Identity Management?
Many systems today run tasks and share data without people being involved. These tasks are handled by software, bots, and devices. They move information, connect services, and perform actions automatically. But the problem is that these non-human parts often have too much access and are not tracked properly. If someone steals their credentials or uses them wrongly, it can cause serious security problems.
This is where non-human identity management becomes important. It helps organizations control which systems, applications, or bots can access what and for how long. Without it, there is a higher chance of secrets getting leaked or services being misused. This article explains what non-human identity management is, why it matters, what challenges it brings, and the best ways to handle it.
What are Non-Human Identities?
Non-human identities are digital accounts that belong to machines, not people. These identities are used by systems, applications, and devices to log in, access data, and perform tasks without human help. They are often built into automated processes and run in the background.
These identities are important because they are everywhere in modern systems. They help connect services, move data, and run jobs across networks.
Without them, many systems would not work properly. But because they do not have faces or names like people, they can be hard to track and control.
Examples include:
Service accounts used by programs to run tasks
APIs that connect one application to another
Bots that perform actions automatically
IoT devices like smart sensors or printers that talk to servers
Human vs. Non-Human Identities
Human identities belong to real people. They usually log in with a username and password and perform actions by typing, clicking, or reading data. These identities are often connected to job roles, personal emails, or user profiles.
Non-human identities belong to things like programs, scripts, or devices. They do not use a keyboard or screen. They work in the background and often run without anyone watching. These identities use keys, tokens, or certificates to connect and do their jobs. They are harder to track and control because there are often many of them, and they run automatically.
Importance of Managing Non-Human Identities
They often have access to important systems and data
If not managed, they can stay active after their job is done
Attackers can steal their credentials to get into systems
It is harder to see what they are doing compared to users
They must be controlled to meet security and compliance rules
Bad setups can lead to mistakes, leaks, or system failures
Lifecycle of Non-Human Identities
1. Provisioning and Identity Assignment
Provisioning means creating a new identity for a non-human user, like a bot, application, or service. Identity assignment is about giving that new identity a unique name and a set of attributes that define what it is and what it can do.
This identity can include information like the service name, system role, and connection details. It is often created using automation tools to make sure it follows company rules and works the same way every time.
2. Access Control and Policy Enforcement
Access control is about deciding what a non-human identity is allowed to do. Policy enforcement makes sure those rules are followed every time the identity tries to access data or systems. These rules can include which servers the identity can reach, what actions it can take, and how long it can stay connected. Tools like role-based access control and attribute-based access control are used to apply these limits and prevent misuse.
3. Credential Management and Rotation
Credentials are like passwords or keys that prove an identity is valid. Managing credentials means storing them safely and making sure they are only used by the correct identity.
Rotation means changing these credentials regularly to reduce the risk of misuse if they are exposed. Systems often use secret vaults or automation tools to handle this process and remove hardcoded credentials from code.
4. Deactivation and Audit Trail
Deactivation happens when a non-human identity is no longer needed. This step removes its access to systems and deletes or archives its credentials. The audit trail is a record of everything that the identity did while it was active.
Keeping this record is important for security reviews and compliance checks. It helps show who or what accessed data, when, and why.
Challenges in Non-Human Identity Management
1. Credential Sprawl and Secret Leakage
Credential sprawl happens when too many non-human identities use different passwords, tokens, or keys across many systems. These credentials often end up stored in scripts, files, or source code.
Secret leakage is when these stored credentials are exposed, either by mistake or through a security breach. This makes it easy for attackers to find and misuse them to access sensitive systems.
2. Overprivileged Access and Role Mismanagement
Overprivileged access means a non-human identity has more permissions than it needs to do its job. This often happens when roles are copied from one system to another without checking what is actually required.
Role mismanagement includes giving wrong or outdated roles to identities, which increases the chance of abuse or system errors if the wrong actions are allowed.
3. Visibility and Inventory Tracking
Many organizations do not have a full list of all their non-human identities. This lack of visibility makes it hard to know which identities exist, what they can access, and whether they are still needed. Without proper tracking, old or unused identities can stay active and create security risks that are hard to detect.
4. Insecure Communication Between Machines
When two non-human identities talk to each other, the connection must be secure. Insecure communication happens when messages or data move between systems without proper encryption or checks.
This allows attackers to listen in or change the messages. It is a common issue when systems trust each other by default or use weak authentication methods.
Best Practices for Managing Non-Human Identities
1. Use of Privileged Access Management (PAM) for Non-Human Accounts
Privileged Access Management is a system that controls and monitors accounts with high-level access. For non-human accounts like scripts, bots, and services, PAM helps manage these powerful permissions in a secure way. It stores their credentials in a central place and makes sure they are only used when needed.
Using PAM for non-human identities is important because these accounts often run background tasks with full access to systems. If their credentials are not protected, attackers can use them to take control of important data or services. PAM reduces this risk by limiting how and when access is used and by recording every session for audits.
2. Secret Vaults and Credential Rotation Systems
Secret vaults are secure storage systems for passwords, tokens, and other sensitive information used by non-human identities. Instead of saving secrets in plain files or code, secret vaults protect them with encryption. They only allow approved systems or services to access those secrets when needed.
Credential rotation means changing passwords or tokens on a regular schedule. Rotation systems do this automatically without human help. This reduces the chance that a leaked or stolen secret can be used for long.
When vaults and rotation systems are used together, they help keep non-human credentials safe and short-lived, making it harder for attackers to misuse them.
3. Integration with Identity Governance and Administration (IGA)
Identity Governance and Administration is a framework that controls how identities are created, changed, and removed. When non-human identities are included in IGA systems, it becomes easier to manage their lifecycle. IGA helps make sure that each identity has a clear owner and reason to exist.
Integration with IGA also allows teams to apply rules, review access levels, and track changes. It ensures that non-human identities do not keep unnecessary access or stay active after their tasks are complete. This improves control and reduces hidden risks caused by forgotten or misused service accounts.
4. Least Privilege Enforcement and Just-in-Time Access
Least privilege means giving an identity only the access it needs to perform its task and nothing more. This is a basic rule for limiting risk. For non-human identities, this might involve giving a bot access to read data but not to delete or edit anything. By enforcing least privilege, damage from mistakes or attacks can be kept low.
Just-in-Time access allows systems to give temporary access only when needed. For example, a backup service may only need access to data during certain hours. JIT systems provide this access at the right time and remove it after the job is done. This helps reduce the time any non-human identity can access critical systems, lowering the chance of misuse.
5. SSH Key Management and Ephemeral Access Control
SSH key management is the process of controlling how SSH keys are created, stored, and used. SSH keys allow secure access between systems without using passwords.
Many non-human identities use these keys to connect and run tasks automatically. If these keys are not managed properly, they can stay active for too long or end up in the wrong hands.
Managing SSH keys means knowing where the keys are, who they belong to, and what systems they can access. It also includes removing old or unused keys. Ephemeral access control means giving access for a short time and then removing it.
This helps prevent permanent access that can be misused. For example, a bot may get a temporary key for one job, and that key will expire right after. This makes access safer and harder to abuse.
6. Compliance with Standards: NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS
Compliance means following rules made by the industry or government to keep systems safe. NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, and PCI-DSS are examples of these rules. They help organizations set up good security practices.
These standards also include how to handle non-human identities, especially when it comes to access control, monitoring, and secret management.
Meeting these standards is important for security and legal reasons. For example, PCI-DSS is required if systems handle payment data. ISO 27001 is used to show that a company follows a structured way to manage information security.
By following these standards, organizations make sure their handling of non-human identities meets known security expectations and reduces the chance of data leaks or fines.
7. Continuous Monitoring via SIEM and PAM Activity Logs
Continuous monitoring means checking systems all the time to catch unusual activity. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) collects logs from different systems and looks for signs of threats. It helps detect problems by reviewing login patterns, access attempts, and system behavior.
Privileged Access Management (PAM) systems also record actions taken through secure sessions. This includes what non-human identities access, when they connect, and what commands they run. Together, PAM logs and SIEM alerts help security teams catch issues early and keep a clear history for future review.
Start Managing Non-Human Identities with SSH-Powered Identity Controls
Non-human identities often use automated access to connect systems, move data, or run commands without human input. If this access is not controlled, it can lead to stolen credentials, leaked secrets, or attackers moving across systems undetected. SSH helps protect this machine-to-machine access by securing connections, managing encryption keys, and enforcing identity-based controls.
SSH-powered solutions like PrivX and the Universal SSH Key Manager support just-in-time access, key rotation, and centralized visibility into who or what connects to systems. These tools are designed to control non-human identities using secure protocols, audit logs, and Zero Trust principles. Whether you are managing bots in a cloud environment or services in operational technology, SSH tools provide a structured way to apply identity governance and reduce standing access.
Get a Demo or Trial of any SSH solution to see how SSH-powered identity controls help secure your non-human identities.
FAQ
What is non-human identity management?
It is the process of managing digital identities that belong to machines, apps, bots, or services instead of people. It controls their access and actions in a system.
Why is managing non-human identities important?
Because these identities often have powerful access and run without supervision. If not managed, they can be misused or lead to security problems.
What are examples of non-human identities?
Examples include service accounts, APIs, software bots, scripts, and smart devices like sensors or printers that connect to systems.
How do non-human identities differ from human identities?
Human identities belong to people and use usernames and passwords. Non-human identities belong to systems or apps and use keys or tokens to connect automatically.
What are the best practices for managing non-human identities?
Use secure storage for credentials, limit access to only what is needed, rotate secrets regularly, track all actions, and remove unused identities.
