The process of managing identities for entities that are not human, such as devices, applications, and services.
Description
Non-Human Identity Management (NHIM) refers to the methodologies and technologies used to create, manage, and secure identities for non-human entities. These entities include devices like IoT sensors, applications, services, and bots that interact within a network or system. As organizations increasingly adopt automation and interconnected systems, the need for effective identity management for these non-human entities has grown. NHIM ensures that each identity is unique, authenticated, and authorized to perform specific actions, thus safeguarding against unauthorized access and potential security breaches. This management includes lifecycle processes such as provisioning, de-provisioning, and maintenance of identities, as well as compliance with regulatory standards. As organizations leverage more automated systems, NHIM becomes critical to maintain operational integrity and security, ensuring that automated processes are managed in a way that aligns with business policies and risk management strategies.
Examples
- IoT devices authenticating to a network using certificates.
- APIs requesting and receiving access tokens for service interactions.
Additional Information
- NHIM is crucial for industries like healthcare and finance where data security is paramount.
- Emerging technologies such as blockchain are being explored to enhance NHIM capabilities.