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Let’s talk about securing every identity in today’s workforce, whether human or not.
You probably have a solid process in place for managing human identities within your organization. New hires go through onboarding, receive specific roles and access rights, and have a designated manager overseeing their access. When they leave, their credentials are revoked. It’s a well-known IT process: every identity with access to your systems must be documented, scoped, and accountable from start to finish.
But now, artificial intelligence (AI) agents are also operating within your systems. They interact with various platforms, handle tasks, and essentially act as part of your workforce. However, unlike human employees, AI agents are often not onboarded, lack a designated owner, and have no offboarding process when they are no longer needed.
Research by JumpCloud in Q3 of 2026 revealed that non-human identities now outnumber human users in 83% of organizations, but only 21% have specific governance controls in place for them. The framework below aims to bridge this gap.
Stage 1: Discover every agent operating in your environment
Effective governance starts with a complete inventory of AI agents in your systems. Shadow AI, where agents operate without proper documentation or oversight, is a common issue. It’s crucial to continuously track and document every agent’s activities and access across all platforms.
Creating a comprehensive inventory of agents is the first step in building a strong foundation for agent governance.
Stage 2: Register every agent as a formal identity with a named owner
Each AI agent should be treated as a formal identity within your directory, complete with a defined purpose, authorized actions, and a designated human owner responsible for its behavior.
Registering agents as formal identities allows for better governance, access control, and offboarding processes, preventing the presence of ungoverned “Zombie Agents.”
Stage 3: Manage agent access with least privilege and zero standing credentials
Grant AI agents access based on the principle of least privilege, ensuring they only have the necessary permissions for their tasks. Implement secure access management practices, such as just-in-time credentials and credential shielding, to minimize security risks.
Stage 4: Govern agent behavior continuously, not just at deployment
Ongoing governance is essential to ensure that AI agents adhere to their authorized actions and access levels. Regular access reviews and monitoring help detect and address any deviations in behavior promptly.
By following these stages, organizations can effectively manage and secure AI agents within their IT environments. JumpCloud’s Agentic IAM framework offers a comprehensive approach to governing identities, whether human or artificial, in a unified IT environment.
For more insights, check out JumpCloud’s Q3 2026 IT Trends Research report here. You can also access the Agentic IAM lifecycle framework here.
Greg Keller, CTO and Co-founder at JumpCloud
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