Permissions for users and two-factor authentication are a key element of a solid security infrastructure. The ability to manage user permissions is a crucial tool in reducing the risk that malicious or accidental insider activity will occur, minimizing the impact of data breaches and ensuring regulatory compliance.

1. Reduce the threat of insider threats

The principle of least privilege is a typical method of limiting access to users. This means that users should only be given the rights they require to fulfill their job. This minimizes the consequences of illegal activities that could be caused by employees or third-party vendors.

2. Reduce the Risk of Data Breach

Many industries are subject to strict regulations that require strong data protection practices. By controlling permissions for users companies can ensure compliance by making sure that only authorized employees have access to sensitive information.

3. Reduce the risk of third-party vendor activities

Many data breaches happen as a result of compromised credentials owned by third-party vendors. Reviewing and updating regularly the permissions granted to users can lower the risk that external vendors can gain unauthorized access.

4. Provide Flexibility for Privilege Escalation

Role-based access control (RBAC) is a popular method of managing permissions for users that assigns specific access rights in accordance with predefined roles. These roles can be nested to permit fine-grained access control. For example an experienced physician could have more access article rights than a junior doctor when it comes to accessing the patient’s information. RBAC can also be set to require a two-factor authentication (2FA), even for specific roles to decrease the chance of unauthorized entry, even if passwords are compromised.