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Service Accounts

Service accounts are non-human identities used to perform automated tasks or access services in a secure manner.

Description

Service accounts are specialized accounts in computing environments designed to allow applications, services, and processes to authenticate and interact with other services or resources without requiring human intervention. These accounts are crucial in scenarios where automation is needed, such as running background tasks, accessing APIs, or managing cloud resources. Unlike regular user accounts, service accounts typically have restricted permissions tailored to the specific needs of the application or service they support, ensuring that they operate under the principle of least privilege. By utilizing service accounts, organizations can improve security and operational efficiency, as these accounts can be managed, monitored, and rotated independently of human users. They often come with unique credentials and are configured for specific purposes, minimizing the risks associated with credential leakage or misuse. In cloud environments, service accounts play a pivotal role in enabling secure interactions between different services and applications, making them a foundational element of modern IT infrastructure.

Examples

  • A service account used by a web application to access a database.
  • A service account that allows a CI/CD pipeline to deploy applications to a cloud platform.

Additional Information

  • Service accounts should follow best practices, including regular key rotation and limited permissions.
  • Monitoring and auditing service account activity is essential to ensure security compliance.

References