What is Least Privilege?
Giving users and systems only the minimum permissions they need to do their job.
Why It Matters
Least privilege limits the damage from compromised accounts or buggy code by restricting what they can access.
Real-World Example
A reporting service that can only read data from the database, not modify or delete it.
“Understanding terms like Least Privilege matters because it helps you have better conversations with developers and make smarter decisions about your software. You do not need to be technical. You just need to know enough to ask the right questions.”
Related Terms
Zero Trust
A security model that requires verification for every request, regardless of where it comes from.
IAM (Identity and Access Management)
A system for managing who has access to which cloud resources and what they can do with them.
Authorisation
Determining what actions or data a verified user is allowed to access
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Related Terms
Authorisation
Determining what actions or data a verified user is allowed to access
IAM (Identity and Access Management)
A system for managing who has access to which cloud resources and what they can do with them.
Zero Trust
A security model that requires verification for every request, regardless of where it comes from.
Authentication
The process of verifying who someone is, usually through a username and password
OAuth
A standard that lets you log into apps using your existing accounts from Google, Facebook, or other providers
JWT (JSON Web Token)
A secure digital pass that proves who you are without needing to check the database every time