Cybersecurity threats are growing every day. According to a report, 60% of small businesses go out of business after a cyberattack. It is now important more than ever for companies to safeguard their sensitive data and systems. One of the most effective methods to reduce these risks is implementing Just-in-Time (JIT) access. This strategy grants users temporary privileges only when necessary and reduces the attack surface.
This blog is your guide to understanding the benefits of JIT. But before that, let’s concisely explore what Just-in-Time access is.
What Is Just-In-Time Access
JIT is a security practice that provides users with temporary privileges to access specific resources or systems. A report on Forcepoint states that around 44% of employees can share their privileged access with others which compromises the security of the organization. Unlike traditional access models where users have continuous access, Just-in-Time ensures that privileges are only granted when required. The access is revoked as soon as the task is completed. Through this, companies can minimize the risk of data breaches.
By ensuring that users and non-human identities are granted the fewest possible privileges, JIT access can be considered as a means of enforcing the principle of least privilege. Along with its entitlements and workflows, JIT access can also guarantee that privileged operations are carried out in compliance with an organization’s Identity Access Management (IAM), IT Service Management (ITSM), and Privileged Access Management (PAM) regulations.
7 Benefits Of Adopting Just-In-Time Access
The business establishes the privileged access parameters (location, actions, and time) to lower the attack surface in order for JIT access to function. Now that you are familiar with what JIT is, here are the top seven advantages of implementing it.
- Better Security
When access to privileged accounts and resources is limited, there is a drastic decrease in potential attack surfaces. That’s what JIT does. This way, malicious actors find it hard to exploit vulnerabilities.
Moreover, with JIT, there are lesser data breaches because the window of opportunity for unauthorized access is reduced. Many regulatory frameworks require strict access controls. JIT access helps organizations meet compliance standards by providing granular control over user privileges.
- Improved Efficiency & Productivity
Just-in-time access often involves automated workflows for requesting and approving privileges. This streamlines the process and reduces delays. Additionally, eliminating the need to wait for access approvals allows users to focus on their tasks without interruptions and boosts productivity.
JIT access also ensures that resources are allocated only when needed and prevents overprovisioning.
- Enhanced Control
JIT access generates detailed logs of all access requests and approvals and provides valuable insights for auditing and compliance purposes. In case of a security incident, Just-in-time access logs can help organizations identify the compromised accounts and take necessary actions. Furthermore, monitoring access patterns and identifying anomalies lets organizations proactively reduce risks.
- Cost Reduction
JIT access can help optimize software licenses by granting access only when needed. This leads to reducing licensing costs. When the risk of data breaches and associated costs gets low, there is an overall significant cost savings.
- Simplified Access Workflow
Automated approval processes and temporary access grants accelerate workflows and reduce administrative overhead. System administrators do not have to wait days to get access. Users are granted access as needed. Streamlining access routines can help administrators save time. Administrator fatigue is reduced for all departments when rights are automatically activated and deactivated via JIT access.
- Easy Privileged Access Management
JIT simplifies the management of privileged accounts by providing a controlled and auditable method for granting access. The constant need for password reset and recovery process is eliminated.
- Defines Third Party Access
It can be a hassle to provide access to third-party users. Just-in-time privileged access management allows administrators to provide time-bound access to a system to contractors and application vendors. Additionally, you can also create one-time accounts so that third parties can perform tasks such as testing and maintenance.
What Might Happen If You Are Not Supporting Just-In-Time Access
If companies do not have the ability to support Just-in-Time access, it can become difficult for the security teams to balance security and productivity. Here are some of the consequences of not implementing Just-in-Time access.
- Without JIT, privileged accounts are constantly accessible and become a target for cyberattacks.
- Users often have more permissions than necessary, which increases the potential damage from a compromised account.
- The risk of a successful data breach is higher due to the prolonged exposure of privileged accounts.
- Many regulatory frameworks require strong access controls and lacking JIT can lead to compliance issues.
- Manual approval processes for access requests can be time-consuming and hinder productivity.
- Without detailed access logs, it becomes difficult to track user activities for security.
What Is The Best Place To Start Implementing Just-in-Time Access
The greatest place to start, like with every new paradigm change in cybersecurity, is always understanding the threats that your company faces. You have made progress in implementing JIT if your company has already completed this. Once all of your accounts and problem areas have been determined, you may start by using JIT on your highest-risk accounts or circumstances. Access to third-party contractors, high-value accounts (domain admins, sysadmins, etc.), and DevOps are a few examples of this.
Conclusion
Just-in-time access is a powerful security measure that offers numerous benefits for organizations of all sizes. As the threats of cybersecurity continue to expand, it is essential to embrace JIT for protecting sensitive data and systems. Enforcing zero standing rights through the use of a just-in-time access solution can greatly lower the security threats that your business is facing.
Choose and deploy JIT access for your high-risk use cases first. Once you have fixed the most serious vulnerabilities, broaden the scope of your implementation.