Metrics for secure access and delegation - DevOps Guidance

Metrics for secure access and delegation

  • Incident frequency due to access violations: The number of security incidents caused by leaked credentials, incorrect, or overly broad permissions over a given period. This metric highlights weaknesses in access controls and potential gaps in identity and access management practices. Count the number of security incidents attributed to access controls each month and compare it with past data to identify trends.

  • IAM review frequency: The number of times IAM policies and permissions are reviewed over a given period. Regular or continuous reviews can help identify potential risks before they become security incidents. Improve this metric by scheduling periodic IAM reviews and implement automated tools that alert when permissions deviate from set policies. Count each IAM review that occurs over a given period, such as a quarter or year.

  • Time to revoke access: The average duration taken to revoke access once it's determined to be no longer necessary. Improve this metric by implementing automated IAM solutions and regular permission audits. Calculate the average duration from the moment it is identified that access needs to be revoked to the time that access is revoked.

  • Rotation compliance: The percentage of security-sensitive assets, such as credentials, secrets, keys, and certificates, rotated in compliance with established policies over a specified period. Regular rotation reduces the window of opportunity for malicious actors to misuse them, thus enhancing the overall security posture. Count the number of assets rotated in compliance with the policy in a given period, and divide it by the total number of assets due for rotation in the same period. Multiply the result by 100 to get the compliance percentage.