Understanding the principle of least privilege

What is the principle of least privilege?

As cyberthreats grow more sophisticated, the need for robust security practices has become ingrained in modern business operations. Organizations are committed to safeguarding their data, be it adding an additional layer of verification, encrypting information, or controlling network traffic. The principle of least privilege (PoLP) is one such security practice that has become a fundamental practice across organizations, regardless of their nature and size. The idea behind it is straightforward—ensure that users, applications, and systems must have the minimum access permissions that are vital to fulfill their job roles.

How does the principle of least privilege work?

The POLP is a cybersecurity concept that states that users, systems, and other entities are only granted the permissions that they need to perform their job. By implementing this security practice, organizations limit a user's ability to access or modify data they do not directly need. For instance, a marketing intern with access to customer data should only be able to view it and not edit it. This ensures and protects the organization from privilege abuse attacks, unauthorized access, and related malicious damage.

In practice, a least privilege policy also ensures that if an account or process is compromised, the damage that can be done is restricted to the level of access granted to that specific entity. If a user with limited read-only permissions has their account compromised, an attacker can only view information rather than modify or delete it. This limited scope of access significantly reduces the impact of security incidents.

As a critical component of the Zero Trust security model, it enforces stringent access controls, ensuring that even trusted users or devices are limited to the permissions they need. This tight control over permissions is vital to preventing unnecessary exposure to sensitive data or systems, significantly reducing the potential attack surface. In this way, the least privilege policy reinforces the Zero Trust philosophy, ensuring that every access request is limited and verified, preventing malicious actors or compromised users from gaining excessive access and increasing overall security.

Why is the principle of least privilege important?

A least privilege policy is critical for several reasons, primarily revolving around security, compliance, and efficiency. Here are a few:

• Preventing privilege creep The PoLP ensures that even if an account is compromised, it doesn’t have the elevated privileges needed to move laterally across systems or escalate access. For example, if a hacker gains control of a regular user’s account, they can't easily escalate to administrator privileges or access confidential systems.
• Reducing insider threats Not all threats come from external entities. Sometimes, insider threats—whether intentional or accidental—pose just as much risk. Employees with unnecessary access to sensitive systems could misuse this privilege, either maliciously or by making mistakes. The PoLP minimizes this risk by restricting access based on job roles and duties
• Simplifying compliance Regulatory requirements like GDPR and HIPAA emphasize strict access control. By implementing the PoLP, organizations can ensure compliance with these regulations, avoiding hefty fines and legal repercussions.

How to implement the principle of least privilege

The PoLP model may seem like any other security practice, but it has to be carefully implemented and maintained without affecting business efficiency. Here are a few ways the PoLP can be incorporated:

• Role-based access control Use role-based access control to assign permissions based on a user's job role. This makes it easier and simpler to manage and adjust privileges as their roles change within the organization.
• Access reviews Regularly review users' privileges and ensure they are in accordance with their job role. Privileges of employees who are no longer associated with the organization must be monitored and revoked.
• Just-in-time (JIT) access Grant access to sensitive applications or resources only when needed or for a limited period of time. This makes it easier to revoke access without requiring manual intervention.

Benefits of implementing the least privilege principle

The least privilege offers several key benefits that bolster an organization's overall security posture. Here are a few:

• By restricting user and system privileges, the least privilege principle minimizes attack surface reduces the number of access points that attackers could exploit and enter into the network.
• Since every user or process has only the access required for their role, an attacker who gains control of a compromised account can only affect a small portion of the system or data, containing the breach and making it harder for them to move laterally within the network.
• Swiftly demonstrate compliance requirements and improve accountability during audits.
• Simplify access management through more efficient permission structures.

How ADManager Plus can help implement the principle of least privilege

ADManager Plus, is an enterprise IGA solution with capabilities to manage and secure identities in Active Directory (AD), Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace environments. With features like access certification campaigns, secure help desk delegation, and more, ADManager Plus enables administrators to effectively implement the POLP hassle-free. Here is how it helps:

• Secure job delegation: Granularly assign AD, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace administrative tasks to junior technicians based on their job roles.
• Access certification: Periodically review users' access rights by running automated access certification campaigns.
• JIT access: Automatically add users to groups and remove them after a certain period of time with scheduled automations.

While the PoLP may seem like a complex concept, it is inherently a security practice that will help reduce risk and security incidents. By using ADManagger Plus to implement the principle of least privilege, organizations can safeguard their data, achieve compliance, and streamline business processes.