1. Planning.

• Assessment
  Begin by identifying who needs access in Rancher, determining the resources required, and noting the purposes. Document existing access rights and determine if they could be reduced or removed. Make use of an entitlement discovery tool for enhanced see-through.
• Policy creation
  Generate explicit plans for both the granting and withdrawing of access. The policies should specify who can request access, under what conditions, and for what duration. Particularly for privileged roles, set time-bound parameters.
• Source of truth
  Synchronize your JIT access system with an Identity Provider (e.g., Okta, Google Workspace, Azure AD, OneLogin). Treat this as the definitive source for identities. Preferring individual identities over shared accounts will allow for better control over authorization and accuracy in auditing.

2. Execution.

• Self-serve access requests
  Simplify the procedure by letting users request system access rather than asking people. Boost adoption rates by integrating with IM platforms like Slack or MS Teams. Requests should note who's asking, what service/resource/role is needed, how long, and why.

• Approval process
  JIT access allows organizations to delegate approvals to individuals with business context. Resource holders and business unit directors often offer better insight than IT helpdesks. Utilize messaging platforms for quick responses, offering approvers all the information needed to make an informed decision.

• Conditional approval workflows
  Weave your predefined plans into workflows that determine access authorizations. They should be placed into workflows that dictate who can access what, and under which circumstances. Assigning if-then conditions is advised.

• Integrations
  Contemplate integrating JITA with other IT and security systems to maximize flexibility. Connect with IT ticketing systems for automated access based on the ticket status, and link with data classification systems to adjust plans depending on data sensitivity. Tagging resources and bundling them together can streamline this procedure. Work with on-call schedule software for automated approvals in emergencies, and use training systems to grant access upon completion of training.
• Automated provisioning and depovisioning
  Learn the intricacies of Rancher to fully and automatically grant and revoke access as required within the service. Streamlining this process is vital for JIT Access as it lessens the need to wait for people to free up time. Ensure automatic removal of access, which is fundamental to JIT access and the principle of least privilege access (POLP). All permissions should ideally be managed in one place without having to build or manage an environment for every application in your company.
• Access methods
  Just like in Amazon EKS, for Rancher JIT Access, APIs are ideal due to their adaptability and real-time features. However, a combination may sometimes be needed, such as SAML for authentication, SCIM for user provisioning, and APIs for precise control over access.

3. Maintenance.

• Regular audits
  Routinely scrutinize access logs to verify JIT access is working as planned. Keeping an eye out for unusual patterns or behaviors either directly or by routing the logs into your SIEM. Rapidise the process of user access review by automating it to facilitate evidence gathering, delegate reviewers, and assure your system complies with industry regulations or standards.
• User training
  Teach users, notably privileged users, about the importance of the principle of least privilege, JIT Access, and its operation, ensuring they know how to request access when required.
• Feedback loop
  Consistently review your JIT access plans. Seek user and IT staff feedback to identify areas needing enhancement.

By following this structured method, you'll efficiently build a robust Just-in-Time Access procedure for Rancher.