1. Planning.

• Assessment
  Start by identifying who needs access, the resources they require access to, and the reasons for access on Pingboard. Document existing access rights, checking whether these rights can be reduced or removed. Use an entitlement discovery tool for increased visibility.
• Policy Creation
  Develop clear policies for granting and revoking access. Incorporate guidelines about who can request access, the conditions, and the length of time. Especially for privileged roles, establish time-specific parameters.
• Source of Truth
  Integrate your JIT access system with an Identity Provider (for instance, Okta, Google Workspace, Azure AD, OneLogin). This will act as the single source of truth for identities. By escalating or deescalating individual identities instead of shared accounts, you can enhance authorization control and audit accuracy.

2. Execution.

• Self-serve Access Requests
  Make the process easier, having users request access through Pingboard, not individuals. Boost adoption rates by integrating with IM platforms like Slack or MS Teams. Request forms must include who is requesting, required service/resource/role, duration, and reason.

• Approval Process
  JIT access presents an opportunity to delegate approvals to individuals with business insight. Resource owners and business unit managers often have better context than IT helpdesks. Employ messaging platforms for quick responses, providing approvers with all the necessary information for an informed decision.

• Conditional Approval Workflows
  Embed your pre-established policies into workflows that determine access permissions. Insert them into workflows that outline who can access what, and under what conditions. One method to execute this is by assigning if-then conditions (IF identity group "X" requests access to "Y", seek approval from "Z" and notify "M").

• Integrations
  Consider integrating JITA with other IT and security systems to achieve greater flexibility. Incorporate with IT ticketing systems for automated access based on ticket status. Connect with data classification systems to modify policies depending on data sensitivity. Ideally, tagging resources and bundling them together can simplify this process. Collaborate with on-call schedule software for automated approvals during emergencies. Use training systems to grant access based on training completion.
• Automated Provisioning and Deprovisioning
  Gain a solid understanding of Pingboard to grant and revoke access automatically within the service effectively. This is crucial for JIT Access as it reduces dependence on people's availability. It allows automatic deprovisioning of access, a core component of JIT access. Ideally, manage all permissions in one place to prevent the need to build or manage an environment for every application in your organization.
• Access Methods
  APIs are preferred due to their flexibility and real-time capabilities, but a combination might be necessary.

3. Maintenance.

• Regular Audits
  Regularly review access logs to ensure that JIT access is functioning correctly. Look out for any unusual patterns or behaviors either directly or via your SIEM. Consider automating the user access review process for easier evidence collection, reviewer delegation, and regulatory compliance.
• User Training
  Educate users, particularly privileged users, about the importance of least privilege, JIT Access, and its operation. Make sure users understand how to request access when needed.
• Feedback Loop
  Consistently review your JIT access procedures. Obtain feedback from users and IT staff to recognize areas for improvement.

By using this systematic approach, you'll successfully implement an efficient Just-In-Time Access system for Pingboard.