Definition: The principle of least privilege (POLP) is a security concept and best practice that proposes granting users, applications, and systems only the privileges or permissions required for performing their intended responsibilities.
The Principle of Least Privilege explained
The principle aims to minimize the potential damage or impact of the improper use, abuse, or compromise of user accounts, applications, or systems and is based on the concept that unnecessary privileges increase the attack surface and potential vulnerabilities within a system.
This ‘principle’ functions by allowing only enough access to do the task at hand. Implementing the Principle of Least Privilege helps to confine compromises to their point of origin, preventing them from advancing across the system. By granting only the essential permissions required for specific tasks, organizations can reduce the risk of unauthorized access, privilege escalation, and the potential for malicious actions.
The Principle of Least Privilege: Practical Example
A practical example of the principle of least privilege within an IT department would involve granting each user the minimum level of access necessary to perform their specific tasks. This would require elevated privileges to manage and maintain the organization's network, servers, and software. They may need administrative access to perform their duties, however, access to sensitive HR or financial data should be restricted unless explicitly required. Adhering to the principle of least privilege in an IT environment minimizes the probability of attackers gaining access to critical systems or sensitive data by compromising a low-level user account, device, or application.
Organizations can minimize the potential damage caused by insider threats, compromised accounts, or human error by adhering to the principle of least privilege. It assists in the enforcement of the principle of separation of duties, minimizes the attack surface, and improves overall security by ensuring that each user or system component has only the permissions required to perform their assigned tasks.
Utimaco provides various solutions and services that help set up zero trust architectures, adhering to the principle of least privilege, even in decentralized and geographically distributed structures.
