Cisco Systems Inc. has launched a new tool called Privileged Infrastructure Access designed to restrict administrative and artificial intelligence agent permissions to the duration of specific tasks, with further coverage provided by Silicon Angle.
The platform addresses the risks associated with excessive access privileges on network hardware like routers and switches. Matt Caulfield, vice president of identity products at Cisco, noted that engineers often retain broad, persistent credentials that exceed their immediate requirements. By utilizing cryptographic identities, the new system ensures that access is granted only for the duration of a specific fix. If no work is being performed, no privilege exists. The tool also maintains a detailed audit trail of all sessions and policy changes.
This approach applies to both human operators and automated agents, preventing them from inheriting unmanaged access. The release arrives as artificial intelligence reshapes the threat landscape, enabling more adversaries to execute sophisticated attacks. The technology builds upon a strategic partnership with Teleport, an infrastructure identity firm. By brokering and recording sessions, the integration ensures that privileges expire automatically once a task is completed, effectively reducing the attack surface for enterprise networks.
Source: Silicon Angle
