Non-Human Identity (NHI) Maturity Model

Note: Most organizations begin at Level 1-2. Progressing through each level typically takes 6-12 months with dedicated resources and executive support.

1

Ad Hoc

"We know NHIs exist"

No formal NHI inventory
Manual creation without standards
Credentials stored in code/config files
No lifecycle management
Reactive incident response only
NHI Visibility: < 10%
Credential Rotation: Never
Risk Level: Critical
2

Developing

"We're starting to track"

Basic inventory in spreadsheets
Some naming conventions adopted
Manual discovery efforts initiated
Password vaults for some credentials
Awareness training begun
NHI Visibility: 25-40%
Credential Rotation: Annual
Risk Level: High
3

Defined

"We have processes"

Centralized NHI registry
Automated discovery tools deployed
Formal creation/approval process
Basic monitoring implemented
Ownership assignment required
NHI Visibility: 60-75%
Credential Rotation: Quarterly
Risk Level: Medium
4

Managed

"We control the lifecycle"

ITDR platform monitoring all NHIs
Automated credential rotation
Risk-based access controls
Behavioral analytics deployed
Integration with SIEM/SOAR
NHI Visibility: 85-95%
Credential Rotation: Monthly
Risk Level: Low
5

Optimized

"Continuous improvement"

Full ITDR/ISPM integration
ML-driven threat detection
Zero Trust architecture for NHIs
Automated remediation workflows
Universal Identity Graph deployed
NHI Visibility: 99%+
Credential Rotation: On-demand
Risk Level: Minimal