Just-In-Time Account Provisioning for SaaS Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of user accounts in Software as a Service (SaaS) systems enhances security risks due to potential entry points for attackers, particularly when accounts with elevated privileges are compromised, leading to unauthorized access and significant security and privacy concerns.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Just-In-Time (JIT) account provisioning system that creates temporary accounts with elevated privileges only when needed, limits their scope and lifetime, and segregates resources into breach boundaries to contain lateral movement of attackers, thereby reducing the attack surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If user accounts with elevated privileges are granted to enable users to perform day-to-day tasks, then operational capability is improved, but security risk increases due to potential unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic privilege elevation where user accounts transition between standard and elevated privilege states based on real-time needs. The system dynamically grants elevated privileges temporarily when required for specific tasks, then automatically revokes them, making the privilege state changeable rather than static. This resolves the contradiction by enabling operational capability when needed while minimizing security risk through automatic revocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic re-evaluation of elevated privilege requirements through scheduled assessments. The privilege management component periodically checks whether continued elevated access is justified based on current user activity and task requirements. This periodic action ensures operational capability is maintained when necessary while systematically reducing security risk by revoking privileges that are no longer needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of user accounts is increased to support numerous users accessing servers, then user access capability is improved, but attack surface increases providing more entry points for attackers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments user accounts into distinct privilege levels (standard users and elevated privilege users) and further segments elevated privileges into task-specific categories. This segmentation allows the system to support numerous users with appropriate access levels without requiring all users to have full administrative access. By dividing the user base into segments with different privilege levels, the attack surface is reduced while maintaining user access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by granting elevated privileges to specific user accounts only for specific tasks and time periods, rather than applying uniform elevated privileges across all accounts. Each user account receives tailored privilege levels appropriate to their role and current needs. This localized approach enables adequate user access capability while minimizing the overall attack surface by limiting the number and scope of elevated privilege accounts.
3Reliability
If elevated privilege accounts are maintained continuously to ensure operational readiness, then operational readiness is improved, but security vulnerability increases due to persistent access points
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring task-specific elevated privilege profiles and authorization rules before users need access. The privilege management component maintains pre-defined elevated privilege states for different task categories, allowing rapid activation when needed. This preliminary preparation ensures operational readiness is immediately available while the actual elevated accounts remain dormant, reducing security vulnerability during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent treats elevated privilege accounts as temporary, disposable resources rather than permanent assets. Each elevated privilege grant is time-limited and automatically invalidated after use or expiration. The system creates short-lived elevated account instances only when task execution is required, then destroys them afterward. This approach maintains operational readiness when needed while dramatically reducing security vulnerability by eliminating persistent elevated access points.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques to contain lateral movement of attackers through just-in-time (JIT) provisioned accounts comprising an account management component to receive a request from a first account via a client device for a second account to access a server device in a set of server devices, an account authorization component to authorize the request for the second account based at least partially on account information associated with the first account, an account provisioning component to provision the second account to enable a client to access the server device, and an account notification component to provide account information associated with the second account to a client via the client device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.