CIEM

Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) analyses and limits permissions in cloud environments. It shows which identities have which rights and which of them are in use.

How it works

In the cloud, there are many identities: people, service accounts, roles and applications. Each has permissions, which are often inherited across multiple levels. CIEM gathers these rights and compares them with actual usage data from logs. It then generates recommendations to remove unnecessary permissions.

For example, a service account for a backup script has full access to the cloud account. It only uses read permissions on two storage buckets. CIEM reveals this discrepancy, allowing the team to reduce permissions to what is necessary. If the account is later compromised, potential damage is significantly smaller.

What to look out for

• In the cloud, machine identities often outnumber people. Be sure to include them.
• Pay attention to permissions that apply across multiple accounts or subscriptions.
• Remove unused permissions gradually and test the impact of any changes.
• Check the access rights of external partners and service providers with special care.

Why it matters

Many cloud incidents start with an account that has excessive permissions. Attackers use these rights to move laterally or to exfiltrate data. The principle of least privilege is difficult to implement in the cloud because permissions are complex. CIEM makes this complexity visible.

Distinction

CSPM checks the configuration of resources. In contrast, CIEM audits the permissions of identities. Both functions are often combined in a single CNAPP today.

Typical mistakes

CIEM is often treated as a one-time clean-up project. After a few months, the permissions have grown again. A continuous review with clear owners for each account or subscription is more effective.

How we implement it

We monitor cloud identities in the SOC and detect the use of unusual permissions. We are happy to discuss architecture questions as part of our Security Consulting.