Permissions for users and two-factor authentication are a key element of a robust security system. The ability to manage user permissions is an essential element in reducing the possibility that malicious or accidental insider activities will occur, minimizing the impact of data breaches, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
1. Minimize the Risk of Insider Threats
The principle of least privilege is a standard method to restrict access for users. This states that users should only be granted access to the resources they require to perform their duties. This minimizes the potential impact of any illegal activity that may be performed by employees or other vendors.
2. Reduce the risk of a Data Breach
Many industries are governed by strict regulations that require strong data protection practices. By controlling user permissions organizations can ensure compliance by ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information.
3. Reduce the possibility of third-party vendor activity
Many data breaches happen as a result of compromised credentials held by third-party vendors. Reviewing and updating regularly the permissions granted to users can lower the risk that external vendors will gain unauthorized access.
4. Provide flexibility for Privilege Escalation
Role-based Access Control (RBAC) has become a popular way to manage the rights of users. It assigns specific rights in accordance with roles that have been specified. These roles can be integrated to allow fine-grained control of access. For instance that a senior physician might be granted more access rights than a junior doctor when it comes to viewing patient data. In addition, RBAC can be configured to require two-factor authentication (2FA) for certain roles in order to limit the possibility of unauthorized access even if the password is compromised.
