Governance of SSH key usage across infrastructure: a strategic framework for 2025

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Executive Summary

SSH keys represent one of the most critical yet frequently overlooked security components in modern enterprise infrastructure. As organizations accelerate cloud adoption and embrace distributed architectures, the proliferation of unmanaged SSH keys creates substantial security vulnerabilities. This whitepaper provides CISOs and security leaders with a comprehensive framework for implementing effective SSH key governance across heterogeneous environments.

Recent security incidents, including the 2024 breaches at major financial institutions and technology companies, have highlighted the risks of inadequate SSH key management. Organizations typically discover they have 10-50 times more SSH keys than employees, with many keys providing root-level access to critical systems. Without proper governance, these keys become persistent backdoors that bypass traditional security controls.

This whitepaper addresses the current state of SSH key management, presents a maturity model for governance programs, and provides actionable recommendations for implementation. Key topics include automated discovery and inventory, lifecycle management, integration with identity and access management systems, and alignment with regulatory requirements.

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