Least Privilege is a fundamental principle in IT and information security. It means:

Every user, system, or process should be granted only the minimum level of access necessary to perform its duties—no more, no less.

Why is it important?

The principle of least privilege helps to:

• Minimize security risks: If an attacker compromises an account, they can only access what that account is permitted to.

• Prevent accidental errors: Users can’t unintentionally change critical systems or data if they don’t have access to them.

• Meet compliance requirements: Many standards (e.g., ISO 27001, GDPR) require access control based on the least-privilege model.

Examples:

• An accountant has access to financial systems but not to server configurations.

• A web server process can write only in its own directory, not in system folders.

• An intern has read-only access to a project folder but cannot modify files.

How to implement it:

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

• Separation of admin and user accounts

• Time-limited permissions

• Regular access reviews and audits