Administrative privileges are an essential component of maintaining a secure IT environment. Organizations can leverage role-based access controls (RBAC) to ensure users only have permission to information necessary for their job functions. This technique reduces the risks associated with the misuse of administrative privileges and considerably improves the organization’s overall security posture.

The principle of least privilege (PLP) is a fundamental security concept defined by giving users the minimum access required to perform their tasks. By following PLP, organizations can reduce the attack surface, limiting the potential damage caused by compromised accounts or malicious insiders. RBAC facilitates the deployment of PLP by allowing administrators to define roles with specified permissions and assign users to these roles based on their responsibilities and required access needs.

Privilege escalation happens when a user gains more access than intended, often by exploiting vulnerabilities, misconfigurations  or unintentionally due to overly broad permissions. Organizations can prevent unauthorized privilege escalation by properly controlling administrator privileges through RBAC. This is accomplished by ensuring that users only have access to the resources and functions required for their roles, lowering the risk of exploitation. Even when users do not intentionally seek excessive access, poorly defined or overly broad permissions can inadvertently escalate their privileges. This still presents significant risks—if a user’s account is compromised, attackers may gain access to sensitive information they would not otherwise have been able to reach had permissions been properly established.

RBAC improves accountability by defining a clear framework for assigning and managing permissions. Each role within an organization is attached to a particular task or group of tasks, making it easier to track and audit user activities. This transparency helps in early detection and response to suspicious activities. Furthermore, detailed audit logs can be kept, providing useful information during security investigations and compliance audits.

Managing users can be complex, especially in large organizations. RBAC simplifies this process by organizing permissions into roles that can be easily assigned and modified as required. This simplified approach saves administrative burden and ensures that permissions are applied uniformly across the organization. It also makes it easy to onboard new employees and update permissions when roles change.

Organizations are required to implement strict access controls to protect sensitive data in accordance with many regulatory frameworks and industry standards. RBAC helps organizations meet these standards by providing a structured approach to managing permissions. By demonstrating that access controls are in place and properly managed, organizations can improve their secure score and reduce the risk of non-compliance.

Privileged Identity Management (PIM) and Privileged Access Management (PAM) are essential to securely managing administrative privileges. PIM focuses on controlling and monitoring access to critical resources and information by managing who has access, only elevating access to those who need it, and only for the limited time they need it. This helps mitigate the risk of misuse and helps to maintain a secure environment. On the other hand, PAM manages and audits privileged accounts and their access to sensitive information. Using PAM, organizations should enforce strict access controls, monitor those privileged sessions, and detect suspicious activities. Using both PIM and PAM together, your security is enhanced by ensuring that administrative privileges are authorized and logged.

In summary, two crucial tactics for improving your secure score are enabling role-based access controls and carefully managing administrative privileges. By adhering to the principle of least privilege, reducing the risk of privilege escalation, enhancing accountability, simplifying user management, and ensuring compliance, organizations can create a more secure and resilient IT environment.