AiVibePrinciple of Least Privilege
A security principle stating that every user, process and system should have only the minimum access rights needed to perform its legitimate function, for no longer than necessary.
Least privilege limits what an account, application or device can do if it is misused or compromised. It applies to human users, service accounts, applications, API tokens, cloud roles and network flows. Practices include role-based or attribute-based access control, separating administrative accounts from everyday accounts, just-in-time elevation that grants privileges temporarily, and removing access promptly when people change roles or leave.
The principle underpins zero trust, the access control requirements of ISO/IEC 27001 and cloud security guidance, because many breaches escalate when attackers abuse excessive permissions, such as domain administrator rights or overly broad cloud roles. In industrial environments, limiting which engineering workstations and accounts can change controller programs reduces both cyber risk and the chance of accidental changes.
Applying least privilege requires knowing who has access to what, so regular access reviews, privileged access management tools and logging of privileged activity are common supporting controls. Permissions tend to accumulate over time, a problem known as privilege creep, while overly restrictive rules can disrupt work, so roles should be designed with the people who use them and reviewed periodically.
Key points
- Grant only the access a function needs, for only as long as it is needed.
- Applies to people, service accounts, applications and devices.
- Limits the damage when an account or system is compromised.
- Regular access reviews counter privilege creep.
Where AiVibe comes in
AiVibe is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified, and its security services include vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, code security analysis (SAST, DAST, IAST, SCA), compliance gap analysis and 24/7 monitoring; AiVedha.ai runs more than 170 automated website security checks.
Related terms
- Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)Cybersecurity & Compliance
- Broken Access ControlCybersecurity & Compliance
- Secrets ManagementCybersecurity & Compliance
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)Cybersecurity & Compliance
- ISO/IEC 27001Cybersecurity & Compliance
- IEC 62443 (ISA/IEC 62443)OT & Industrial Cybersecurity