1. Planning.

• Assessment
  Start by determining who needs access, the specific resources they require, and the underlying reasons. Review existing access permissions and determine if they can be reduced or eradicated. An entitlement exploration tool could provide more transparent visibility.
• Policy creation
  Establish precise policies for both approving and retracting access. These policies should outline who can request access, under what conditions, and for how long. For privileged roles, it is imperative to establish time-bound restrictions.
• Source of truth
  Synchronize your JIT access system with an Identity Provider (e.g., Okta, Google Workspace, Azure AD, OneLogin), which acts as a reliable source for identities. Prioritize de/escalating individual identities over shared accounts to improve authorization control and auditing accuracy.

2. Execution.

• Self-serve access requests
  Streamline the process by allowing users to request access via the system instead of through individuals. Enhance acceptance rates by integrating with Instant Messaging platforms such as Slack or MS Teams. Ensure requests specify who is making the request, the specific service/resource/role required, duration, and reason.

• Approval process
  JIT access provides organizations the chance to delegate approvals to individuals with adequate business context. Resource owners and business unit managers generally have a superior context than IT helpdesks. Utilize messaging platforms for swift responses, thereby providing approvers with all the necessary information for an informed verdict.

• Conditional approval workflows
  Incorporate your predefined policies into workflows that govern access permissions. Integrate them into workflows that dictate which users can access which resources, under what circumstances. An effective method to do this is by creating if-then conditions.

• Integrations
  Consider merging JIT Access with other IT and security frameworks for additional flexibility; Connect with IT ticketing systems for automated access contingent on ticket status. Link with data classification systems to modify policies depending on data sensitivity. Manage and delegate permissions from a single space, eliminating the need to create or oversee an environment for each application.
• Access methods
  For 8x8 JIT Access, APIs are the preferred choice due to their flexibility and real-time functionality. However, a combination may be needed. For instance, utilizing SAML for authentication, SCIM for user provisioning, and APIs for exact access control decisions.

3. Maintenance.

• Regular audits
  Routinely evaluate access logs to ensure the functioning of JIT access as per expectations. Look out for any unusual patterns or conduct either directly or by incorporating the logs into your SIEM.
• User training
  Train users, particularly privileged users, about the relevance and functioning of least privilege and JIT Access. Also, ensure they're familiar with the process of requesting access when needed.
• Feedback loop
  Regularly review your JIT access procedures and seek feedback from users and IT staff to identify areas of improvement.

By adopting a systematic approach, you'll be able to make an effective implementation of a robust Just-in-Time Access mechanism for 8x8.