1. Planning.

• ‍Assessment
  Start by identifying the individuals that require access, the variables they require, and the purpose. Document the existing access rights to see if they can be lessened or removed entirely. Consider using a tool for entitlement discovery to increase visibility.
• Policy creation
  Formulate clear policies for both authorizing and revoking access. Provide rules about who can request access, under which conditions, and for how long. For roles with more privileges, use time-bound parameters.
• Source of Truth
  Sync your JIT access system with an Identity Provider (e.g., Okta, Google Workspace, Azure AD, OneLogin) to maintain a definitive point of reference for identities, allowing for improved authorization control and reduced audit discrepancies by controlling individual identities over shared accounts.

2. Execution.

• User-initiated access requests
  Simplify matters by having users place their access requests through the system, not through personnel. Improve the adoption rate by integrating with IM platforms such as Slack or MS Teams. Ensure requests detail the individual making the request, the service/resource/role needed, duration, and reasoning.

• Approval process
  ‍JIT access provides organizations an opportunity to outsource approvals to people who understand the business.  Resource owners and business unit managers often have an improved understanding than IT helpdesks. For quick responses, use messaging platforms, providing approvers all necessary information to make an informed decision.

• Conditional approval workflows
  Built your preset policies into workflows that determine access permissions. Include them into workflows that specify who can access what and under which conditions. One efficient approach is by assigning conditions. IF identity group “X” requests access to (e.g., Smart Contract “Y”), seek approval from “Z” and notify “M”.

• Integrations
  ‍Consider integrating JITA with other IT and security systems for more flexibility; Link with IT ticketing systems for automated access based on the ticket status. Link with data classification systems to adjust policies depending on data sensitivity. Ideally, you should be able to tag resources and bundle them to streamline the process. Collaborate with on-call schedule software for automatic approvals during emergencies. Use training systems to grant access based on training completion.
• Automated provisioning and deprovisioning
  Gain a good understanding of Upwork to accurately automate granting and revoking of access on a fine-grain level within the service. This is essential for JIT Access because it reduces the reliance on waiting for people to find the time. It provides for automated deprovisioning of access, central to JIT access and the principle of least privilege access (POLP). Ideally, you would manage all permissions in one place rather than developing an environment for every application in your organization.
• Access methods
  For Upwork JIT Access, APIs are preferred due to their versatility and real-time capabilities. Yet, a combination might be required. For example, using SAML for authentication, SCIM for user provisioning, and APIs for precise access control decisions.

3. Maintenance.

• Regular audits
  Periodically review access logs to verify JIT access is functioning as expected. Look for any unusual patterns or behaviors either directly or through a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM). Automate the user access review process to speed up evidence collection, delegate reviewers, and ensure your system complies with relevant industry regulations or standards.
• User education
  Instruct users, particularly ones with high privileges, about the importance of least privilege, JIT Access, and its operation. Make sure users are aware how to request access when required.
• Feedback loop
  Maintain a regular review of your JIT access procedures. Solicit feedback from users and IT staff to learn where improvements are necessary.

Following this structured approach, you'll effectively set up a robust Just-In-Time Access system for Upwork.