In today’s cybersecurity landscape, enterprises increasingly rely on the Zero Trust strategy to protect against increasingly sophisticated threats. Zero Trust operates on the principle that no entity, whether inside or outside the network, should be trusted by default. Instead, every access request must be verified.
As enterprises accelerate Cloud adoption, analysts report that many cybersecurity breaches can be attributed to human error, especially those originating from misconfiguration of access. Identity-based attacks remain a top threat vector according to the IBM X-Force 2025 Threat-Intelligence Index. This vector can provide an easier entry for attackers, and it can also be harder to detect. The Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024 researched by Ponemon Institute, sponsored by IBM found that breaches caused by compromised or stolen credentials have the longest response lifecycle compared to any other cyberattack, leading to the risk of lost business, compliance penalties and loss of reputation.
This blog explores how IBM Cloud Trusted Profiles with IBM Cloud IAM can help organizations adhere to Zero Trust principles by implementing initial zero access for identities and enforcing the principle of least privilege.
The Principle of Least Privilege is a core component of zero trust. It means giving users the minimum levels of access — or permissions — needed to perform their job functions. This can help reduce the attack surface by limiting access to sensitive data and systems.
Learn more about zero trust principles here.
The Role of IBM Cloud IAM
IBM Cloud’s IAM is designed to manage and control access to resources effectively. It provides tools for defining and enforcing granular access policies which provide users with only the access levels they need to perform their function with cloud resources. IBM Cloud IAM’s capabilities are enhanced using Trusted Profiles, which streamline and protect access management.
What are Trusted Profiles?
Trusted Profiles in IBM Cloud IAM are identity constructs that allow services or applications to assume roles with specific permissions temporarily. Instead of assigning long-term credentials to users or applications, Trusted Profiles enable temporary access tokens that adhere to strict policies and time constraints.
Learn more about identities on IBM Cloud here.
How do Trusted Profiles help implement Zero Trust
Initial Zero Access:
By default, like any Identity on IBM Cloud, Trusted Profiles start with zero access. No permissions are granted until explicitly defined and no user or service has inherent access, aligning with the zero-trust philosophy of "never trust, always verify.”
Users and Compute identities can start with zero access, and based on the Trusted Profiles they can assume, access is provided just-in-time. Each resource access request requires Identities to be verified that they are allowed access before it is granted.
Dynamic Assignment:
Access is granted based on the context of the request. For example, a service might request a token from a Trusted Profile to perform a specific task. The token provides temporary, limited access, providing the service with the least privilege necessary. A user may assume one of the Trusted Profiles they are allowed access to for temporary access to resources and permissions they normally were not allowed access to for their own identity, allowing separation of responsibilities with explicit definition of the minimum level of access required for the role.
Temporary Tokens:
IBM Cloud Trusted Profiles support time-bound, policy-driven access that aligns with zero-trust principles by issuing short-lived tokens and enforcing strict identity verification at the time of access, helping to reduce the risk of credential misuse.
Enforcing the Principle of Least Privilege
Granular Permissions: Trusted Profiles allow for fine-grained access controls. Permissions can be tailored to the exact needs of a task, such that users or services only get the access required to complete their functions. This can help minimize the potential damage in case of a security breach.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): By defining roles with specific permissions, Trusted Profiles help enforce the principle of least privilege. Users and services are assigned roles based on their job requirements and provide only have access they need.
Policy-Driven Access: Access policies associated with Trusted Profiles can specify conditions under which access is granted such as time of day and frequency of access.
How do Trusted Profiles help towards your Zero Trust posture?
- Reduced Attack Surface: As an Attribute Based Access Control (ABAC) based system, IBM Cloud IAM does not grant any access to a resource by default. This helps ensure a zero access by default posture and supports the principle of least privilege to reduce the potential attack surface. This helps to minimize unauthorized access, and even if credentials are compromised, it can help to limit and contain the damage by isolating the compromised identity.
Enhanced Security Posture: Trusted Profiles help enhance the overall security posture as authorization is evaluated for every request for a resource to help reduce the risk of persistent threats, and session duration can be configured to reduce the threat of credential misuse.
Simplified Compliance Efforts: Regulatory compliance often requires strict access controls and auditing. Trusted Profiles support regulatory compliance by enforcing clear, role-based access policies and capturing detailed activity logs. These logs not only record actions taken under the Trusted Profile but also include the identity of the user or service that assumed it — ensuring full traceability and accountability for audits.
Operational Efficiency: Dynamic and automated permission assignments help to streamline access management processes, which can help reduce administrative overhead and potentially decrease the chance of human error when managing access at scale.
Conclusion
As cyber threats continue to evolve, leveraging tools like Trusted Profiles within a Zero Trust framework will be essential for safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining a robust security posture. By starting with initial zero-access and enforcing the principle of least privilege, Trusted Profiles can help organizations minimize their attack surfaces and enhance their security posture.
To get started with IBM Cloud Trusted Profiles, start here.To learn more about managing Trusted Profiles in an enterprise account with centralized governance, start with this case study.