Understanding the Rising Threat of Identity-Based Attacks

The Upsurge of Identity-Based Attacks

In recent years, identity-based attacks have surfaced as a significant risk in the cybersecurity landscape. Malicious actors increasingly leverage stolen credentials to infiltrate systems, making these attacks more prevalent than ever. Recent studies indicate that a staggering 83% of cyber incidents involve compromised credentials. The Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report highlights a worrying trend: attackers are now more likely to exploit stolen secrets rather than vulnerabilities or misconfigurations in systems.

Focus on Non-Human Identities (NHIs)

While much of the focus in cybersecurity has been on human assets, a notable shift toward Non-Human Identities (NHIs) is creating new security challenges. NHIs include any machine-based identities, which can outnumber human identities by at least 50 to one in enterprise environments. Unlike humans, machines lack robust mechanisms for multi-factor authentication, relying predominantly on credentials such as API keys, bearer tokens, and JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) for security.

Historically, identity and access management (IAM) systems have been built around stable human characteristics, assuming that identities once verified will remain consistent. As a result, permissions can be granted based on these established identities, reinforcing trust and security protocols.

Secrets as the Backbone of Security for NHIs

Securing machine identities hinges on understanding the importance of access keys. These credentials, often regarded as secrets, can serve as unique identifiers for NHIs. By focusing on these secrets, organizations can achieve better visibility and governance regarding access throughout their infrastructure.

The Challenge of Managing NHIs

Despite the growing importance of NHIs, many organizations struggle to define and manage them. The term "NHI" broadly encompasses various entities, from cloud services to container orchestrators, leading to inconsistent management practices. For instance, a Kubernetes service account has a different set of characteristics from an Azure managed identity. This fragmented approach complicates the establishment of uniform policies and automated governance across diverse environments.

Moreover, the rapid increase in NHIs has uncovered gaps in traditional asset inventory tools. Security teams are often overwhelmed, unable to enforce permissions or security measures effectively. Aging legacy systems further complicate the situation, as many have obsolete passwords that haven’t been updated or audited in years.

Unique Identification through Secrets

Every NHI requires authentication to engage with applications or systems, typically utilizing secrets such as API keys and certificates. These secrets can act as cryptographic fingerprints, enabling traceability within distributed systems. When utilized correctly, these credentials allow for detailed auditing and attribution, making it easier to ascertain what is acting and on whose behalf.

This model of access as the identifier streamlines inventory management, allowing organizations to maintain a clear view of their machines, workloads, and even AI systems. The result is a consistent and verifiable method of indexing NHIs, regardless of whether they operate on cloud platforms or local servers.

The Risks Associated with Secrets

While secrets are crucial for managing NHIs, they present their own set of risks. According to the State of Secrets Sprawl research from 2025, approximately 23.8 million secrets were leaked on GitHub in 2024—marking a 25% increase from the previous year. Alarmingly, 35% of private repositories surveyed also contained leaked secrets, further exacerbating the issue.

High-profile breaches exemplify the dangers of unmonitored secrets. When credentials are carelessly scattered across codebases, pipelines, and cloud configurations, they invite unauthorized access. An exposed API key, for instance, can allow malicious users to gain valid session access without undergoing stringent verification processes.

GitGuardian: A Solution for Managing Secrets

To combat these challenges, GitGuardian has developed a robust platform focused on inventorying NHIs and managing secrets effectively. The tool can identify secrets in vaults, allowing organizations to track their usage and maintain contextualized inventories across varying environments. This capability empowers teams to swiftly see which NHIs have leaked secrets and whether any are redundantly stored.

Additionally, GitGuardian provides oversight into dormant credentials—often referred to as "zombie" credentials—that exist without proper governance. By offering rich metadata about each secret, such as creator information and permissions, organizations can ensure better lifecycle management of NHIs.

Moving Towards Effective NHI Governance

The rise of NHIs has not only transformed the identity landscape but also complicated the associated security risks. Secrets are more than mere access keys; they are the avenues through which attackers can impersonate legitimate identities, gaining unauthorized access to sensitive resources.

Effective governance of NHIs requires an approach that recognizes secrets as key identifiers. GitGuardian streamlines visibility, facilitating centralized policy enforcement while reining in unsanctioned secret sprawl. When secrets undergo continuous monitoring and management, organizations significantly reduce their vulnerability to identity-based attacks.

By anchoring NHIs to their authenticating secrets, GitGuardian enables security teams to proactively detect issues, manage permissions, and ultimately enhance their cybersecurity posture. For those interested in exploring the capabilities of GitGuardian, a guided tour of their solutions is available through an interactive demo.