Explanation of terms
Least privilege, also known as the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP), is a central security principle in Identity & Access Management (IAM). It states that users, systems, applications or devices should only be granted the minimum access rights they need to perform their tasks.
Why do we need the least privilege principle?
The principle serves to reduce IT risks and the attack surface within organizations. It is particularly relevant in the context of:
- Cybersecurity: Many attacks target privileged accounts. If these have unnecessarily far-reaching authorizations, attackers can cause damage more easily or move laterally in the network (lateral movement).
- Malware defense: If least privilege is enforced on endpoints, this prevents malware from exploiting administrative rights to spread.
- Compliance & audits: Security standards such as ISO 27001, NIS2 or the BSI IT baseline protection compendium require authorizations to be limited to the required level.
- Productivity & control: Modern IAM solutions enable just-in-time access, i.e. temporary extension of rights without permanently assigning admin access[1].
Advantages of the least privilege principle
- Reduction of risks from phishing, malware or account compromise
- Minimization of unintentional system changes by over-privileged users
- Better auditability and traceability of accesses
- Support for compliance requirements (e.g. NIS2, ISO 27001, GDPR)
Practical example
An IT administrator uses a normal user account for day-to-day tasks. Only when administrative tasks are required (e.g. creating new users) is a temporary role change with extended rights carried out, for example via a Privileged Access Management (PAM) system. The elevated access is then automatically withdrawn again.
Conclusion
Least Privileged Access Control is a fundamental security principle for modern IT architectures. It ensures that only what is necessary is permitted, thereby significantly reducing the impact of misconfigurations, attacks and internal risks.