What is Just-in-Time Administrative Access?

What is the greatest risk to the security of your network? Is it malware? Hackers? AI? As technology advances, it's easy to focus on increasingly sophisticated threats. While it's true that cybercriminals will exploit these threats when beneficial, one of the most significant risks is also one of the simplest.

It’s your administrative accounts. 

Passwords to standing admin accounts are highly coveted by cyber attackers, because they hold the keys to the kingdom. If an attacker can gain access to these accounts, they can move through the system unhindered. Attacks like these are common, and they offer a big pay-off to threat actors if they are successful. In one recent attack, an attacker accessed the organization’s network through a compromised administrative account, using it to assess the network environment and run LDAP queries to access user information. 

The most effective way to prevent attacks like these is to remove the possibility of access altogether. And that’s exactly what just-in-time admin does.

What is Just-in-Time Admin?

Just-in-time (JIT) admin solves the problems of standing admin rights by creating a temporary admin user on an as-needed basis for a limited time. JIT admin protects your network environment by eliminating standing privileges and automating the request and approval process. Administrators can log in when they need to without the risks of standing administrator accounts and password sharing. Here’s how it works:

• Needs-Based Access – Administrative access is granted only when it is needed to perform a task. IT administrators can automate access requests based on roles or grant access remotely to optimize productivity.
• Transient Accounts – When a user is approved for admin access, the system generates or transient admin user account. This account exists only for a limited time while it is in use. Once the task is complete, the account is removed so it can’t be hacked.
• Temporary Privilege Escalation – Users receive temporary administrative privileges to perform specific tasks. Since no users have a standing admin account, threat actors can’t gain access to your system through stolen credentials. 

How Does Just-in-Time Admin Benefit Your Dealership?

JIT admin adds an additional layer of security that reduces risk and simplifies access control without frustrating users. Here’s how it helps you keep your system safe:

• Enhanced Security – By eliminating accounts that have standing administrative privileges, JIT admin reduces your attack surface. Threat actors have fewer opportunities to gain access through phishing, social engineering, or brute force attacks, and those inside the organization can only gain access with approval for a limited time.
• Greater Flexibility – Just-in-time admin makes it easy to grant administrative access exactly when it is needed. There is no need to submit an IT ticket for a new account, and there is no need to share passwords with users who need access only for a single task.
• Improved Productivity – On the user side, waiting for access to be granted slows down task completion and creates frustration. On the IT side, manually granting each individual request eats up valuable time. JIT access with a tool like Sedona Safeguard PAM relieves pressure and boosts productivity on both sides of the equation by automating the process.

JIT Administrative management delivers a better user experience for admin access, while making administrative control for IT managers easy to implement and use.