The process of granting authority to a non-human entity to act on behalf of a user in identity management.
Description
In the context of Non-Human Identity Management, delegation refers to the mechanism by which a user or an entity can assign certain rights and responsibilities to another non-human identity, such as an application, service, or automated system. This allows the delegated entity to perform specific actions or access resources on behalf of the user without needing to expose or share the user's credentials. Delegation is crucial in scenarios where automated processes handle tasks like data retrieval, resource management, or interaction with other services while maintaining security and compliance. It typically involves the use of tokens or certificates that define the scope and duration of the delegated authority. Properly implemented delegation helps enhance security by minimizing credential sharing and enabling better audit trails of actions performed by non-human identities. It also facilitates greater flexibility in managing digital services and workflows, as non-human entities can operate autonomously within defined limits.
Examples
- An application that can access a user's calendar to schedule events on their behalf.
- A service that retrieves data from an API using OAuth tokens granted by the user.
Additional Information
- Delegation often involves standards like OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect.
- Properly managed delegation can significantly improve organizational efficiency and security.