Source URL: https://cloudsecurityalliance.org/articles/introducing-the-owasp-nhi-top-10-standardizing-non-human-identity-security
Source: CSA
Title: OWASP NHI Top 10: Standardize NHI Security
Feedly Summary:
AI Summary and Description: Yes
Summary: The text discusses the evolution and maturity of the non-human identity (NHI) market and introduces the OWASP Non-Human Identities Top 10, a framework designed to help organizations address security risks related to non-human identities like API keys and service accounts. This initiative is particularly relevant for security professionals as it emphasizes the critical nature of managing NHIs in the context of automation and AI adoption.
Detailed Description:
The provided text highlights significant developments in the management and security of non-human identities (NHIs) within organizations, drawing attention to the newly launched OWASP Non-Human Identities Top 10 framework. Below are the major points covered:
– **Maturity of the NHI Market**: The text notes that while non-human identities, such as service accounts and API keys, have existed for a long time, the awareness of their associated risks and the need for robust management has only recently gained traction among security teams.
– **Security Awareness Gap**: It points out that many organizations lack a standardized understanding of the risks linked to NHIs and how to incorporate them into broader security programs.
– **Launch of the OWASP NHI Top 10**: The OWASP, an established authority in web application security, has introduced this framework with contributions from industry experts. This project aims to provide organizations with a common language and standard guidelines for managing and securing non-human identities.
– **Relevance of the OWASP Top 10**: The text underscores the importance of the OWASP Top 10 projects, which traditionally help prioritize critical risks in web applications and APIs. The NHI Top 10 expands on this concept, focusing specifically on the risks associated with NHIs.
– **Importance of NHIs**: The increased reliance on automation, AI, and cloud services has led to a rise in non-human identities, which are becoming key targets for cybercriminals. Risks pertaining to OAuth apps, service accounts, and AI agents are highlighted as posing substantial threats due to being overprivileged or poorly monitored.
– **NHI Top 10 Framework Purpose**: By establishing the OWASP NHI Top 10, the initiative seeks to ensure that organizations globally adopt a consistent approach to managing NHIs, which are increasingly relevant in the context of software development and cloud infrastructure.
– **Ranking Criteria for the Top 10 Risks**: The text details the ranking process for the risks identified in the NHI Top 10, which includes:
– **Exploitability**: Assumption that the vulnerability exists and can be exploited by attackers.
– **Impact**: Assessment of the worst-case impact on systems and operations due to security weaknesses.
– **Prevalence**: Frequency of occurrence of these vulnerabilities across environments.
– **Detectability**: Difficulty for organizations to identify weaknesses with standard monitoring capabilities.
– **Collaboration by Security Experts**: The involvement of security professionals from notable companies adds credibility and ensures that the framework is rooted in real-world experience and threat analysis.
In essence, this text serves as a call to action for organizations to prioritize the security of non-human identities, providing a critical framework for navigating emerging threats in cloud and AI environments.