Privilege creep increases the attack surface of a network. The key security risks happen when these broader permissions are not revoked once the user has completed the task, resulting in many users having privileges they do not need. This means that a user may have to be granted administrator privileges to install or execute some software. The most common example of this is when older (legacy) applications require additional permissions in order to run. Privilege creep occurs when businesses revoke the administrative rights of users during a re-evaluation of access and permissions, only to reinstate administrator permissions at a later date so users can perform specific tasks. Privilege creep refers to when too many users on a network are given administrator permissions for certain applications, systems or networks, resulting in a security risk. Establishing a clear hierarchy of users and their relevant permissions means the network can be much more structured and data can only be accessed by the users who need it. Least privilege can help improve compliance in relation to data and can make auditing much easier.It is proven to improve productivity amongst users on a network. This reduces requests sent across the network and support tickets sent to the IT help desk in relation to access-related issues. Functional access control provides users just the right amount of permission to complete their tasks and no more.This denies malware the opportunity to establish a remote connection or access sensitive data. Should the network suffer such an attack, malware cannot gain additional access and move freely to install and execute malicious code. The overall reach of malware is also limited by implementing least privileges on users and endpoints.Therefore, limiting the access granted to users and devices also limits cybercriminals targeting an individual. Many breaches target users who have advanced network access privileges, allowing the hacker to view sensitive information. By providing users the permissions needed to perform a task – and nothing more – attackers have less opportunities to spread through the network and inflict damage. This means that least privilege minimizes the number of vulnerable points on a network that could be targeted by a cybercriminal. ![]() Least-privilege access reduces the attack surface of a network.There are several reasons why least privilege is so important for building cyber resilience: With cybercrimes becoming increasingly more sophisticated, it is of the utmost importance to ensure every aspect of a network is secured and no weaknesses are left exposed. It can can limit access between applications, devices, and integrated systems, meaning they only have the minimum set of permissions required to perform their function. Least privilege is regarded as a best practice method for cybersecurity and is adopted by many organizations to manage access control and prevent network breaches that put data and computing resources at risk. This allows the user to perform their job or required functions and nothing else. The principle of least privilege (PoLP) is a concept relating to information security, specifically when a user is granted minimum access or permission on a network.
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