Permissions for users and two-factor authentication are an essential component of any robust security infrastructure. The ability to manage user permissions is a crucial tool in reducing the possibility that malicious or accidental insider activities will occur, minimising the impact of data breaches, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
1. Reduce the risk of insider threats
The principle of least privilege is a popular method of limiting access for users. It states that users should be granted only access to the resources they require for their job. This reduces the potential impact of unauthorized activities that could be caused by employees or third-party vendors.
2. Reduce the risk of a Data Breach
Many industries are subject to strict regulatory requirements that require strong data protection practices. The management of user permissions allows organizations to ensure compliance by ensuring only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information.
3. Reduce the risk of third-party vendor activities
Many data breaches are caused by compromised credentials that are by third-party vendors. Reviewing and updating regularly the permissions granted to users can reduce the chance that external vendors will gain access to data.
4. Give Privilege Escalation Flexibility
Role-based access control (RBAC) is a popular approach to managing user permissions that assigns specific access rights according to predefined roles. The roles can be nested in order to allow fine-grained access control. For instance an experienced physician could enjoy higher authority than a junior doctor when it comes to accessing the patient’s information. Additionally, RBAC can be configured to require two-factor authentication (2FA) for certain roles to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access, even in the event that the password has been compromised.