Permissions for users and two-factor authentication are essential components of any robust security infrastructure. The ability to manage permissions for users is an essential tool for reducing the possibility that malicious or accidental insider activities will occur, minimizing impact of data breaches and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
1. Reduce the threat of insider threats
The principle of least privilege is a common method to restrict access for users. It states that users should be granted only the privileges they need to perform their duties. This reduces the potential impact of unauthorized activities that could be caused by employees or third-party vendors.
2. Minimize the Risk of a Data Breach
Many industries are governed by strict regulations that require the use of rigorous data security methods. By controlling user permissions companies can ensure compliance by making sure that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information.
3. Reduce the risk of third-party Vendor Activity
Many data breaches are the result of compromised credentials held by third-party vendors. Reviewing and updating regularly the permissions of users can reduce the chance that external vendors will gain access to data.
4. Allow flexibility for Privilege Escalation
Role-based access control (RBAC) is a popular method for managing user permissions that assigns specific access rights according to predefined roles. The roles can be nested in order to allow fine-grained access control. For instance that a senior physician might be granted more privileges than a junior physician in regards to accessing the patient’s data. Additionally, RBAC can be configured to require two-factor authentication (2FA) for certain roles in order to limit the risk of unauthorized access even in the event that the password is compromised.