Just-In-Time Access Approval with Zero Standing Privilege

A login attempt hits your system. It is legitimate—maybe. You have seconds to decide if access is granted, and only for the time needed. This is the core of Just-In-Time (JIT) Access Approval with Zero Standing Privilege (ZSP). No permanent keys. No lurking rights. No silent attack surface waiting for misuse.

Traditional privilege models leave accounts with ongoing access, even when not in use. Every hour that access remains active is an exposure window. Zero Standing Privilege removes that window. Standing privileges are revoked by default. Access is provisioned only when explicitly requested, approved, and time-bound.

In a JIT Access Approval workflow, requests flow through an automated or manual approval process. Verification is done before privileges are granted. Once the approved session expires, the rights disappear. They cannot be reactivated without another request. This sharply limits lateral movement and privilege escalation inside your systems.

Implementing JIT with ZSP requires three clear components:

1. Access Request Layer — Users or services must submit a formal request for elevated permissions.
2. Approval Logic — Automated policies or security teams decide if access is granted based on context, risk level, and compliance rules.
3. Ephemeral Credentials — Temporary identities or tokens expire after a defined period, leaving no residual permissions.

Security audits become simpler when no long-lived permissions exist. Every elevation event is logged, time-stamped, and linked to a user or request origin. Attackers lose the advantage of unused but valid credentials. Compliance teams gain hard evidence for least privilege enforcement.

JIT and ZSP align perfectly with a least privilege strategy but go further by enforcing it in real time. This approach addresses insider threats, credential theft, and compliance demands without slowing down legitimate work. Engineers can keep velocity high while cutting security risk to the bone.

If you want to see Just-In-Time Access Approval with Zero Standing Privilege live in action, deploy it with hoop.dev and watch it work in minutes.