Identity management isn’t just about humans. In modern cloud and AI-driven environments, non-human identities (NHIs) outnumber human users by an estimated 100:1. Despite this, many organizations are stuck in a human-centric worldview, leaving machine accounts under-governed.
Ignoring this shift is one of the biggest blind spots in modern cybersecurity. Threat actors can exploit unmanaged NHIs, giving them access to the corporate network and sensitive systems and data.
Why NHIs Are So Difficult to Manage
NHIs encompass any software or machine asset that requires credentials to communicate and access data. They include service accounts, API keys and tokens, and autonomous AI agents.
Traditional identity and access management (IAM) is based on a “joiner-mover-leaver” workflow tied to Human Resources. When a person is hired, they get access. When they change departments, permissions change. When they quit, access is revoked.
Machines don’t operate like this. Software doesn’t “quit.” An API token created for a temporary script will sit active indefinitely unless manually wiped. Developers frequently spin up cloud environments that keep running after they have moved on to different projects. Nobody knows who owns the credential or what risks it creates.
Humans can be prompted for multifactor authentication (MFA) or sign-on approval. A background script cannot answer an SMS verification code, relying instead on static secrets.
Security Risks of the Machine Footprint
Because NHIs hold privileged, “always-on” access, they have become a top target for threat actors. Production API tokens are often hardcoded into public repositories or plain-text configuration files. Bots are granted full administrative control.
To combat this, IT teams are embracing dedicated non-human identity management (NHIM) frameworks that continually scan environments to create an active inventory of every bot, token and service. IT can establish clear chains of accountability by tracing every digital machine asset back to an underlying human owner.
Best practices dictate eliminating static passwords in favor of secret vaults and short-lived tokens. AI monitoring should be used to flag anomalies, such as a background service account suddenly trying to log in at 3 a.m. from an unrecognized IP to download sensitive files.
Why Machine Identities Are Harder for SMBs
NHIs create significant risks for small to midsize businesses (SMBs). SMBs run on lean operations, lean budgets and highly integrated technology. This structure transforms machine credentials from an IT asset into a dangerous blind spot.
IAM suites are priced and designed for Fortune 500 companies. SMBs often manage machine tokens manually via spreadsheets, or worse, forget they exist.
In small tech environments, one developer or IT generalist often maintains the infrastructure. To move fast, they frequently use a highly privileged “god-mode” API key or service account across multiple applications. If that developer leaves, the credentials stay active, unmonitored and orphaned.
Cybercriminals are acutely aware that SMBs have weaker defenses. Hackers target small vendors to steal an API key that connects to a larger corporate client’s system, using the SMB as a stepping stone to execute broader supply chain breaches.
How SMBs Can Close the Gap
WatchGuard helps SMBs close this gap. Its Unified Security Platform Architecture addresses the risks of NHIs using built-in, automated features. Instead of forcing an SMB to buy another complex tool, WatchGuard embeds NHI protection across its existing network, endpoint and core identity modules.
Even with this powerful tool, most SMBs find that managing NHIs is too complex to handle alone. A qualified managed services provide (MSP) provides the ultimate defense against this growing blind spot.
Because SMBs rarely have the budget for full-time cybersecurity analysts, an MSP acts as an outsourced IT and security department. By leveraging specialized tools, structured frameworks and automated platforms, an MSP can identify, secure and monitor an SMB’s non-human identity footprint.
Verteks has a team of security experts who understand the risks of NHIs. We can help you identify all the NHIs in your environment and ensure that threat actors can’t exploit them. Contact us to schedule a confidential consultation.
