Just-In-Time Access: Key Insights You Need for CISSP Exam (Content Outline 5.2.8)

Using Just-in-Time (JIT) access, organizations can temporarily grant elevated permissions to users—both human and non-human—whenever they need to perform a specific task. This allows for real-time privileged access to applications or systems, only when necessary. JIT access is recommended as a way to enhance security by reducing constant, ongoing access to sensitive systems.

JIT access ensures that users only have elevated privileges when required, rather than granting them permanent access. Instead of having unrestricted access at all times, users are granted access to certain resources for a limited time period. This minimizes the risk of privileged account abuse, as it reduces the window of opportunity for cyber attackers or insiders to misuse elevated accounts and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.

JIT access helps enforce the principle of least privilege, giving users or non-human identities the minimum permissions needed to do their job. It also aligns with an organization’s Identity Access Management (IAM), IT Service Management (ITSM), and Privileged Access Management (PAM) policies, ensuring access is controlled through proper workflows and approvals. Additionally, JIT access must maintain a detailed audit trail of privileged activities, allowing organizations to track who accessed which systems, what actions they took, and for how long. Some privileged access management tools even offer the ability to monitor active sessions and terminate risky behavior in real-time to enhance security further.

Types of Just-In-Time (JIT) Access:

1. Broker and Remove Access

In this method, users need to provide a reason for why they need access to a specific system or resource for a set amount of time.

Users typically have a shared privileged account, but the credentials for that account are securely managed and rotated in a central system (vault). Access is granted for the required period and then removed afterward.

2. Ephemeral Accounts

These are temporary, one-time-use accounts that are created when needed and automatically deleted or deactivated after the task is completed.

This ensures that the account can only be used once, reducing the risk of long-term misuse.

3. Temporary Elevation

This method allows users to temporarily gain higher-level permissions or privileges to perform specific tasks.

Access is granted on request and for a limited time, after which the elevated privileges are automatically revoked once the time is up, ensuring the user doesn’t retain unnecessary access.

How to Enable Just-In-Time (JIT) Access

Here’s a simple workflow for enabling JIT access. The key idea is that users start with no default privileges (zero standing access):

1. A user, whether human or machine, requests privileged access to a server, virtual machine, or network device.
2. The request is checked against a policy or reviewed by an administrator who can either approve or deny the request for short-term privileged access. This process can be automated to make it easier and faster for users and operations teams.
3. The user receives a notification that access has been granted.
4. Once approved, the user is temporarily given elevated access to enter the system and perform their specific task. The access can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few months, depending on the task and the organization’s policies.
5. When the task is completed, the user logs off, and their access is immediately revoked or deleted until they need it again

Why is Just-In-Time (JIT) Access Important for Your Organization?

• Better Security: JIT access reduces the chances of someone abusing privileged accounts or hackers moving through your systems unnoticed.
• Easier for Admins: It makes life simpler for administrators by cutting down on delays and review processes while keeping the usual workflows in place.
• Improves Compliance: JIT access makes it easier to follow regulations by reducing the number of users with high-level access and keeping clear records of all activities involving privileged accounts.