Machine identities move data, approve connections and keep critical work alive without appearing on the organisation chart.
Where this breaks
They rarely change roles, take leave or complain when their authority becomes excessive.
The operating move
Assign an owner, purpose, minimum permission, credential lifecycle and retirement event to every consequential service identity.
Value object — The operational card
- Business owner
- Permitted systems and actions
- Secret rotation
- Disablement test
The test
Disable one service account in a controlled window. Unknown breakage reveals undocumented machine authority.