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Least Privilege

PoLP

The Principle of Least Privilege states that users, systems, and processes should have only the minimum access rights necessary to perform their intended function — nothing more.

IAM PAM Zero Trust Foundational

❓ What is Least Privilege?

The Principle of Least Privilege states that users, systems, and processes should have only the minimum access rights necessary to perform their intended function — nothing more.

⚙️ How Does It Work?

Implemented through RBAC (tight role definitions), PAM (removing standing admin rights), IGA (access reviews removing excess entitlements), and ABAC (context-aware permission decisions).

📍 Where Is It Used?

Every security architecture — foundational to Zero Trust, required by most compliance frameworks including NIST, ISO 27001, and SOX.

💡 Real-World Example

A finance analyst has Finance Admin access inherited from a previous role. An IGA access review identifies this over-provisioning. Her access is reduced to Finance Read-Only — least privilege enforced.

🔗 Related Terms

Zero Trust PAM IGA RBAC JIT Standing Privileges
← LDAPMandatory Access Control →

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