Least privilege means each user and system has access to only the minimum resources needed to do their job. Nothing more. This principle, applied organization-wide, dramatically reduces your exposure to both insider risk and external attackers who gain access.
Why Least Privilege Works
An attacker who compromises an employee account usually inherits that employee's permissions. If the employee has broad administrative access, the attacker does too. If the employee has minimal access, the attacker is constrained until they perform additional lateral movement.
Least privilege also reduces insider risk. An employee who should not have access to financial records simply cannot access them, even if they try.
Implementing Least Privilege
Start by cataloging which roles exist in your organization and what access each role actually needs. Then audit current access and remove unnecessary permissions. Review access quarterly and revoke stale access immediately when employees change roles.
How Aegisys Can Help
We perform access audits, establish role-based access controls, and maintain disciplines around access reviews. Get your free assessment today.
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