The Overlooked Risk of Non-Human Accounts
One of the biggest security gaps in modern development environments is the lack of proper account discovery. Developers frequently assume that existing resources, including service accounts, machine identities, and API keys, are already secured and managed. However, in reality, many of these accounts are created without a clear lifecycle plan, leading to:
- Accounts with unchanged credentials – Service accounts running critical tasks often go years without password rotation, creating an easy target for attackers.
- Overprivileged accounts – Many accounts have more access than they need, increasing the potential damage if compromised.
- Forgotten or orphaned accounts – Legacy systems or outdated applications often leave behind unused but still active accounts that pose serious security risks.
Account Discovery: The First Step in Strengthening Security
To build truly secure applications, organizations must prioritize account discovery—the process of identifying and analyzing all accounts within their infrastructure. This proactive approach enables teams to:
- Map all existing accounts – Understanding where accounts exist, what they have access to, and whether they are still needed.
- Enforce least privilege principles – Ensuring each account has only the necessary permissions for its function.
- Implement credential rotation – Regularly updating passwords and API keys to reduce exposure.
- Decommission unused accounts – Removing orphaned accounts to minimize attack surfaces.
The Challenges of Legacy Systems and CI/CD Pipelines
Modern cloud-based architectures and SaaS applications often rely on complex interdependencies between various accounts and services. While automation through CI/CD pipelines helps streamline development, it also reinforces the illusion that security is “just taken care of.” In reality, account sprawl—where accounts multiply without centralized oversight—remains a major concern.
In legacy environments, this problem is exacerbated by bureaucratic hurdles and a reluctance to touch systems that “just work.” Many legacy applications still use service accounts with hardcoded credentials that haven’t changed in years, making them an easy entry point for attackers.
AI and Automation: Not a Silver Bullet
With the rise of AI-driven security tools, many organizations rely on automated solutions to detect and manage security risks. While automation can help, it’s not a replacement for critical thinking and human oversight. AI can identify patterns, but developers and security teams must proactively assess and address security risks at every stage of development.
Making Account Discovery a Core Security Practice
Organizations must shift their security mindset by integrating account discovery into their development lifecycle. This includes:
- Conducting regular audits – Periodic reviews of all accounts to detect anomalies and excessive permissions.
- Embedding security into CI/CD pipelines – Ensuring security checks, including account monitoring, are part of the development workflow.
- Educating developers on security best practices – Encouraging a shared responsibility for security rather than relying solely on security teams.
- Leveraging identity and access management (IAM) solutions – Using IAM tools to enforce access policies and detect unusual activity in real-time.
Conclusion: Security Starts with Awareness
Account discovery is an essential but often neglected aspect of application security. Developers must critically assess their environments, ensuring that all accounts—human and non-human—are identified, managed, and secured. By adopting a proactive security mindset, organizations can mitigate risks, close security gaps, and build resilient systems from the ground up.
