Ever wonder why some people at work still have access to systems they haven’t used in years? Or why a developer has permanent admin rights even when they only need them once a month?
That’s the problem with always-on access. It’s convenient—but it’s also dangerous.
In today’s identity-first security world, timing matters. A lot. And that’s where Just-in-Time (JIT) access and event-driven IAM come in. They’re not just cool buzzwords—they’re reshaping how we think about access control, risk, and compliance.
The Problem with Always-On Access: Why Timing Matters
Most traditional IAM setups give users standing access—24/7 privileges whether they need them or not. That might have worked in simpler environments, but today?
It’s a recipe for disaster. Permanent permissions lead to:
- Privilege creep (access piling up over time)
- Excessive access risks during insider attacks
- Wider attack surfaces for compromised accounts
It’s like giving everyone in the building a master key, “just in case.” Not smart.
How Just-in-Time (JIT) Access Works
JIT flips the model: no one has access until they actually need it. Permissions are granted temporarily and revoked automatically after use.
Behind the scenes, it’s powered by:
- Automated workflows (via tools like SailPoint, Okta, or custom ServiceNow flows)
- Time-based conditions and expiration rules
- Temporary credentials that self-destruct after a session
Real-world examples?
- Granting a network engineer admin access for a 1-hour maintenance window
- Letting a consultant access a sensitive project repo during their contract period only
- Providing temporary access for an audit team to review controls
No more blanket access. Just the right permissions, at the right time, for the right reasons.
Event-Driven Access: Triggered by What Actually Happens
Event-driven IAM takes things even further. Instead of waiting for a human to approve access, it reacts to real-world events automatically.
Think of it like this:
- A system detects a production incident → auto-grants the on-call engineer temporary root access
- A new software deployment kicks off → triggers elevated access for the CI/CD pipeline
- A compliance audit begins → gives the auditors controlled read-only access
These are fast, responsive, and often safer than manual processes. No waiting for approvals. No forgetting to revoke access.
Reducing Risk and Making Compliance Easier
The big win here? Less exposure = less risk. The shorter the window of access, the harder it is for bad actors (or careless insiders) to exploit it.
And if you’re in a regulated industry, you know how painful audits can be. JIT and event-driven IAM make it way easier to prove:
- Who accessed what, when, and why
- That permissions were revoked promptly
- That only approved users had sensitive access
Compliance teams love it. Attackers, not so much.
So… Should You Make the Shift?
If your IAM setup still hands out “forever access,” it’s time to rethink things. Modern threats move fast—and your access controls should too.
Start small. Run a report on standing access in your environment. Look at the accounts that haven’t used their entitlements in months. Then ask:
“Do they really need that access all the time?”
Odds are, the answer’s no.
Have you already started using JIT or event-driven access at your company? Seen any benefits—or challenges?