Shadow Code: The Escalating Cybersecurity Threat of Non-Human Identities

They don’t clock in, they don’t sleep, and they vastly outnumber their human counterparts. Non-human identities (NHIs)—the service accounts, API keys, OAuth tokens, and system credentials that silently keep our digital world humming—have become both indispensable tools and alarming vulnerabilities.

A new report from Silverfort reveals that NHIs are multiplying faster than enterprises can manage, with many operating invisibly beneath the surface of modern IT environments. These identities, often left overprivileged and unmonitored, now represent one of the most exploitable threat surfaces in cybersecurity.

The New Shadow Workforce

In both cloud-native and hybrid infrastructures, NHIs are performing critical automated functions. They sync databases, call APIs, and run background processes at all hours. But as organizations scale their use of automation and interconnectivity, the number of NHIs can balloon into the hundreds of thousands. Each one is a potential backdoor.

“Adversaries don’t just hack people anymore—they hack the identities behind the automation,” said Hed Kovetz, CEO and Co-Founder of Silverfort. “These NHIs are a force multiplier, but they’re also an emerging blind spot.”

Security by Neglect

Unlike human identities, NHIs rarely trigger suspicion when accessing sensitive resources. Their steady, automated behavior makes them perfect vessels for stealthy lateral movement. Most don’t even require multi-factor authentication. Complicating matters further, these identities often have persistent access to critical infrastructure components—and they rarely rotate credentials.

According to Silverfort’s research, attackers increasingly leverage this “insecurity in the shadows” to breach environments without tripping traditional detection mechanisms. Once inside, they use NHIs to stay hidden, escalate privileges, and exfiltrate data over time.

Why It’s Getting Worse

The problem is not just the number of NHIs—it's the lack of visibility and governance. Many organizations don’t maintain an inventory of their NHIs, let alone enforce policies around their creation, use, and retirement. The result is a growing sprawl of phantom credentials.

Kovetz warns, “Without visibility and control, these identities become the cyber equivalent of unguarded keys to the kingdom.”

Turning the Tide

Addressing the NHI threat isn’t just about locking down credentials. It’s about shifting how we think about identity. Experts recommend:

• Discovery: Conduct a complete audit of all NHIs across environments.

• Least Privilege Enforcement: Apply strict role-based access control (RBAC) and remove excessive privileges.

• Contextual Authentication: Require risk-based or conditional access even for machine identities.

• Lifecycle Management: Automate the rotation and revocation of NHI credentials.

Silverfort’s findings are a stark reminder that identity is the new perimeter. And in the race between automation and adversaries, those who ignore the silent workforce may unwittingly invite the enemy inside.