Lateral movement

The act of non-human identities (NHIs) transitioning between different roles or environments without changing their fundamental nature.

Description

Lateral movement in the context of non-human identities refers to the ability of entities, such as AI systems, robots, or virtual avatars, to navigate and adapt across various functional domains or social contexts without altering their core identity. This concept is crucial in understanding how NHIs operate in diverse environments, allowing them to maintain their inherent characteristics while interacting with different systems or communities. For instance, a social media bot may engage in customer service in one instance and then shift to content creation in another. This flexibility enables NHIs to fulfill multiple roles and enhances their utility across different applications. The ability to perform lateral movement can lead to more efficient and effective interactions, as NHIs can leverage their capabilities in various scenarios, thereby enriching the user experience and broadening their functional scope.

Examples

• A chatbot that assists customers in one context and generates marketing content in another.
• An AI assistant that performs data analysis in a research environment and later helps in scheduling meetings.

Additional Information

• Lateral movement can enhance adaptability and resilience of NHIs in dynamic environments.
• Understanding lateral movement is essential for developing versatile AI systems that can meet diverse user needs.

References

• Shining the Spotlight on the Rising Risks of Non-Human Identities
• The Invisible Army of Non-Human Identities - Dark Reading
• Why Non-Human Identity Security Is Inseparable from Human IAM
• The Complete Guide to the Growing Impact of Non-Human Identities ...
• Non-Human Identities Security: Breaking down the problem - SlashID
• How Attackers Exploit Non-Human Identities - Astrix Security
• Managing the invisible risk of non-human identities
• Non-Human Identity Management - Veza
• Three ways to thwart non-human identity attacks | SC Media