POLP or the principle of least privilege is a crucial concept in information security. It is the idea that any process, user, or program should have only the bare minimum privileges required to carry out its task.
As per https://sonraisecurity.com/education/principle-least-privilege/, after every approximately 39 seconds, there is a cybercriminal on the prowl. The unrestricted access of network credentials that most networks allow today only encourages these hackers to get better at their ‘job.’
The only solution is utilizing the principle of least privilege. Think this as the difference between having a key that works on all doors and one that is specially crafted for a specific door.
Principle of Least Privilege Examples
The least privilege policy applies to facets of an IT environment, such as networks, end-users, applications, databases, and systems. Examples of the concept in action are:
- Using Just in Time Least Privilege
- User Account With Least Privilege
- MySQL Accounts with Least Privilege
How the Principle of Least Privilege Operates
This concept works by permitting only sufficient access to carry out the task at hand. In an IT environment, adhering to it lowers the possibility of hackers gaining access to sensitive data or vital systems through compromising a low-level application, account, or device.
Implementing it in your company will be the right step for the following reasons:
- It Reduces the Chance of Catastrophic Damages
The principle of least privilege lowers the harm level that results from the unauthorized or unwanted use of network privileges. Should a user account with a limited set of privileges be mismanaged, the effect will not be as great.
To maximize the power of the least privilege approach, managers with privileged access control should revoke high-level powers from non-privileged applications and users.
- Superior Audit Capabilities and Data Security
It is well-known that businesses are targets for theft of proprietary data and insider leaks. This can be alarming if you are a business owner. The good news is, by monitoring and controlling the activity of authorized users, you can rest assured that your data is safe.
The principle of least privilege limits privilege elevations and the number of persons with access to delicate information, which thickens the security level. The better the restrictions, the faster and more effective probes are after a security incident.
- It Provides an Environment with Fewer Liabilities
No matter how vigilant you may be, a security slip-up is bound to occur once or twice in your organization. Problematic instabilities are likely to happen if a standard user reconfigures an essential area of the network unintentionally.
The best way to decrease the likelihood of high-risk errors is to allow a few able accounts to enjoy admin rights.
A principle of least privilege policy lowers the attack surface, providing fewer opportunities for security risks and promoting a stress-free work environment.
- Protects Against Attacks Such as SQL Injections
SQL injections are a web security vulnerability that enables a cybercriminal to tamper with the queries that an application makes to its database.
Through it, a hacker sees data that they may not be able to get. In most cases, they can modify or delete the data, causing irreversible changes to the application’s behavior or content.
In the event that an SQL attack is successful, hackers get unauthorized access to fragile details, such as personal user information, passwords, or even credit card details.
Some common SQL injection examples are:
- Database examination, where an individual can gain information about the structure and version of the database
- Hidden data retrieving, where one can adjust an SQL query to return more results
- Blind SQL injection, where the results of a controlled query are not returned in the application’s replies
- Subverting application logic, where a person can alter a query to tamper with the application’s logic
- UNION attacks, where a cybercriminal can retrieve data from a variety of database tables. This is the most prevalent type of injection.
By putting the principle of least privilege principle into action, SQL injection and many other attacks are stunted. Since the web application would have read-only privileges, the injection would not go very far.
- It Enhances Data Classification
Thanks to the principle of least privilege practices, network managers are always on their toes. They keep detailed data records.
Complete data classification plays a crucial role in the well-being of a network since it provides insight into all information on the network and the people with access to it. Check https://sonraisecurity.com/education/principle-least-privilege/ for more information.