A comprehensive catalog of all non-human identities and their associated attributes within a system.
Description
User inventory in the context of Non-Human Identity Management refers to the systematic collection and organization of identities that are not tied to human users. This includes entities such as applications, machines, services, and devices that require credentials and identity management for secure access to resources. Each non-human identity is characterized by specific attributes such as role, access rights, ownership, and operational parameters. Maintaining a user inventory is crucial for ensuring security, compliance, and efficient management of identity-related risks. By maintaining an accurate and up-to-date user inventory, organizations can effectively monitor and control the access of these non-human identities, reduce the attack surface, and ensure that only authorized entities have access to sensitive resources. Additionally, user inventory helps in automating identity lifecycle processes, auditing, and reporting, thus supporting overall governance and risk management strategies.
Examples
- An API key used by a service to access a cloud resource.
- A machine identity certificate used by a server to authenticate itself to other services.
Additional Information
- User inventory aids in compliance with regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA by tracking non-human identities.
- It supports operational efficiency by enabling automated provisioning and de-provisioning of non-human accounts.