IT Glossary
Just-in-time (JIT) provisioning creates accounts the moment access is needed. Learn how JIT works, JIT vs standing access, and how it supports Zero Trust.
July 3, 2026
Just-in-time (JIT) provisioning is a method that creates a user account and grants access automatically at the moment it is first needed, rather than in advance. Often triggered during an SSO login through SAML or OpenID Connect, JIT removes the need to pre-create accounts, reduces standing access, and supports least-privilege and Zero Trust models by granting access only when it is actually required.
Just-in-time access and standing access differ across four points. JIT is granted at the moment of need, keeps the attack surface smaller and time-bound, fits sensitive or occasional access, and supports least privilege and Zero Trust. Standing access is granted in advance and kept open, presents a larger and always-present attack surface, fits daily always-needed tools, and mainly serves convenience.
An engineer needs production access for a one-off incident. Instead of a permanent admin account, JIT grants time-boxed access that expires automatically afterward. Nothing stays open to be abused later. JIT also simplifies onboarding for SSO apps: the account is created at first login from IdP attributes, so IT does not pre-provision dozens of accounts that may never be used. The trade-off is that JIT depends on a clean identity source and well-defined attributes.
JIT grants access only at the moment of need and lets it expire, while standing access stays open continuously. JIT reduces the attack surface.
By granting access only when required and for a limited time, JIT enforces least privilege, a core principle of Zero Trust.
Not necessarily. SCIM keeps accounts in sync over time, while JIT creates access on first login. Many setups use both for different apps.
