1. Planning.

• Assessment
  Start by determining who needs access, the necessary resources, and the purpose of their access. Record existing access and determine if they can be reduced or erased altogether. It might be helpful to use a privilege discovery tool for a more complete view.
• Policy Construction
  Set explicit policies for both granting and revoking access. Add rules regarding who can request access, under what situations, and for how long. Time-limited parameters should be specified, especially for high-privilege roles.
• Identity Authentication
  Synchronize your JIT access system with an identity provider (e.g., Okta, Google Workspace, Azure AD, OneLogin). This will serve as the authoritative source for identities. Scaling up or down individual identities instead of shared accounts will provide improved authorization management and auditing precision.

2. Execution.

• Requests for Access
  Simplify the process by enabling users to request access through the system, instead of human agents. Increase user adoption by allowing integration with IM platforms such as Slack or MS Teams. Make sure requests specify who is asking, the resource/role/service they require, the duration, and the reason behind the request.

• Approval Procedure
  JIT access provides an opportunity for organizations to let those with relevant business context, such as resource owners and business unit managers, approve requests. Take advantage of messaging platforms for quick responses, supplying approvers with all necessary information for knowledgeable decision-making.

• Policy-Based Approval Workflows
  Incorporate pre-defined policies into workflows that govern access permissions. Assign if-then conditions for a highly effective approach. IF identity group “A” requests access to “B”, then approval should be sought from “C” and “D” should be notified.

• Integrations
  Consider pairing JIT access with other IT and security systems for extra flexibility. Factors to consider may include linking with IT ticketing systems for automated access, adjusting policies according to data sensitivity, automated approvals ease during emergencies, and granting access once training completion is achieved.
• Automated Assigning and Discontinuing Access
  Familiarize yourself with Guru to efficiently manage automatic fine-grained granting and discontinuation of access within the service. It’s crucial for JIT access to reduce the dependency on people to allot time, and simplifies automated discontinuation of access which enforces least privilege access (POLP). In an ideal world, you could manage all permissions in one place, therefore omitting the necessity to develop or maintain an environment for every organization application.
• Access Methods
  APIs are the preferred method of access for Guru JIT Access because of their versatility and real-time capabilities. However, a migration may be required. This could involve SAML authentication, SCIM for user provisioning, and APIs for exact access control decisions.

3. Maintenance.

• Regular Audit
  Routinely examine access logs to verify the proper function of JIT access. Search for unusual patterns or behaviors either directly or by using your SIEM. The user access review process can be automated to speed up evidence gathering, delegate reviewers, and ensure your systems meet all relevant industry regulations and standards.
• User Education
  Teach users, especially those with high privilege, about the significance of minimum privilege, JIT access, and its operation. Make sure that users understand how to request access when required.
• Feedback
  Regularly review JIT access procedures and collect feedback from users and IT staff to understand where improvements can be made.

By following this methodical approach, you'll successfully implement a robust Just-In-Time Access system for Guru.