Technology is evolving rapidly, and many organizations scramble to understand how to keep up with it. No doubt that it has its advantages and has helped businesses immensely, but it has made them vulnerable in some cases.
Cybersecurity is a growing concern worldwide. As technology evolves, new security protocols need to be put in place to ensure no data breach. The principle of Least Privileges is now an industry standard when it comes to protecting your files on a cloud infrastructure.
Websites such as https://sonraisecurity.com/blog/principle-least-privilege/ help businesses understand this principle and why they should adopt it.
What is the Principle of Least Privileges (PoLP)?
Although PoLP may sound complicated, it is relatively simple. If you’re familiar with the traditional “need to know” basis strategy that most intelligence agencies and military use, you will have no trouble understanding PoLP.
PoLP may also be referred to as Principle of Least Authority (PoLA) or Principle of Minimal Privilege. As the name suggests, according to this principle, any user, program, or process should only be granted access to the minimal knowledge they need to perform any function. So, if a user’s job is to upload files to the cloud system, they do not need to have full admin rights to do their job.
Is PoLP Effective?
PoLP can be extremely effective when implemented the right way; understanding how to implement PoLP based on your business needs is crucial. Differentiating between employees who need low-level access and those who need higher-level access can be difficult. Many websites educate businesses on what the right way to implement this system is.
But it is not enough to implement a cybersecurity protocol; businesses need to educate their employees. Many employees may accidentally compromise the security of the system because of their lack of awareness.
Should You Implement PoLP?
Does every business need PoLP? With the world becoming more and more digital every day, there is no doubt that cybersecurity measures need to be strengthened. With 2,200 cyberattacks in the world per day, it is crucial to create awareness about cybercrimes. As a business, it is imperative to improve cybersecurity measures to safeguard business information and employee and customer data.
Here’s how PoLP may benefit your business’ cybersecurity practices:
Better Security
By granting users access to only a limited number of files, a business can enhance its security. In case the lower-level accounts are compromised, the damage will be contained to restricted information. Additionally, limiting users’ access to files also helps in preventing employees from accidentally compromising data. In most cases, employee negligence has led to major information leaks, which can be easily prevented with cybersecurity workshops.
Creates a Stable Environment
With access to a limited zone, any unauthorized or accidental changes made by a user will be restricted to a smaller zone. With this principle, the entire system does not suffer if a new user familiarising themselves with the system makes any accidental changes. Additionally, teams can customize the system according to their needs without affecting other departments.
Improve Compliance with Audit-friendly System
Businesses need to audit their system to ensure that they comply with the necessary laws. With PoLP, you can create an audit-friendly system, as it is fairly easy to understand. Not only that, in many cases, such as with HIPAA guidelines, PoLP is necessary to ensure compliance. Hence, by implementing PoLP from the get-go, you confirm that you achieve compliance.
Limit the Attackers Access
AS a business owner, you must ensure that all high-level accounts are protected thoroughly. However, some companies often neglect lower-level accounts. With PoLP, if a hacker gets access to a low-level account, their access to confidential data will be limited, saving the business from potential losses. Additionally, lower-level accounts have a limited number of functions that they can perform, limiting the hacker’s ability to make any detrimental changes to the system.
Reduce Chances of Malware
Malware attacks have become more sophisticated where they are almost impossible to detect. However, with PoLP, you can dramatically reduce or even eliminate malware attacks by restricting access to such applications. By denying access to executive and installation functions, you can ensure that the malware cannot infect business files.
Keep in mind that PoLP is only effective when it is implemented the right way. This cybersecurity protocol needs to be revised every few months, from separating the high-level and low-level accounts to conducting privilege audits to limit the number of users with high-level access.
To ensure that your business uses PoLP the right way, ensure that you hire trusted cybersecurity professionals. Cybersecurity professionals help you understand and improve your business’s cloud security needs.