Automated Privileged Access Management Procedure (ENG-PROC-006)
1. Purpose
The purpose of this procedure is to implement automated privileged access management using role-based access control (RBAC) and just-in-time (JIT) access, replacing manual quarterly reviews with continuous monitoring and exception-based access validation.
2. Scope
This procedure applies to all privileged access to production infrastructure, cloud services, and critical systems through automated identity and access management systems integrated with HR data and organizational roles.
3. Overview
This procedure leverages automated RBAC systems, just-in-time access controls, and exception-based monitoring to ensure privileged access is appropriately managed without manual quarterly disruptions. The approach emphasizes automation, self-service access requests, and anomaly detection over manual attestation processes.
4. Procedure
| Step | Who | What |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | IT Operations Team | Configure identity management system to automatically synchronize employee data including role, department, manager, and employment status from HR systems. Enable real-time updates for role changes and terminations. |
| 2 | Security Officer | Define standard privileged access roles based on job functions and map each role to specific cloud resources and permission sets using infrastructure as code. |
| 3 | Platform Engineer | Configure automated role assignment based on HR data and job function. Implement rules that automatically grant appropriate privileged access when employees are hired or change roles. |
| 4 | IT Operations Team | Implement group-based access control where privileged permissions are assigned to groups rather than individual users based on organizational status. |
| 5 | Platform Engineer | Configure cloud-native JIT access solutions to provide temporary elevated access with automatic expiration. Set default access duration to [Duration, e.g., 4-8 hours]. |
| 6 | DevOps Engineer | Implement self-service portal where engineers can request temporary privileged access with business justification and automated approval workflows. |
| 7 | Security Officer | Configure emergency break-glass access procedures for critical system outages with automatic expiration within [Duration, e.g., 2-4 hours]. |
| 8 | Platform Engineer | Configure session recording and monitoring for all privileged access sessions with automated analysis of privileged activities. |
| 9 | Security Officer | Configure cloud-native access analytics tools to continuously monitor privileged access patterns with machine learning-based anomaly detection. |
| 10 | IT Operations Team | Configure real-time alerting for privileged access anomalies and integrate alerts with security monitoring systems. |
| 11 | Platform Engineer | Implement automated monthly validation of privileged access assignments against current HR data and generate exception reports. |
| 12 | Security Officer | Conduct targeted access reviews only for high-risk exceptions identified by automated monitoring rather than comprehensive quarterly reviews. |
| 13 | Security Officer | Conduct and document a quarterly privileged access review covering all privileged accounts and sessions, with sign-off by system owners and the Security Officer. |
5. Standards Compliance
7. Definitions
See Annex: Glossary
8. Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Security Officer | Define RBAC policies, configure anomaly detection rules, oversee JIT access procedures, and review high-risk access exceptions. |
| IT Operations Team | Configure and maintain identity management systems, monitor access analytics, respond to access anomalies, and manage automated provisioning. |
| Platform Engineer | Implement JIT access systems, configure cloud access controls, manage service account automation, and optimize privilege assignments. |
| DevOps Engineer | Integrate access controls into CI/CD pipelines, manage service account lifecycle, implement session recording, and automate credential rotation. |
| Managers | Approve exception-based access requests, validate access during role changes, and support incident response access procedures. |