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Benefits and challenges of zero standing privileges
Zero standing privileges combines the zero-trust model with the principle of least privilege to strengthen privileged access management and reduce enterprise attack surfaces.
With privileged account compromise and privilege abuse being consistent themes in many cyberattacks today, organizations might need new controls to better assess privileges within their on-premises and cloud environments, continuously monitor and control privileged access, and better understand privileged account context and behavior at scale.
One newer concept to consider is zero standing privileges. Using zero-trust principles, ZSP focuses on always verifying access, applying granular access controls and removing persistent access capabilities.
What are zero standing privileges?
Used as part of an enterprise identity and access management (IAM) strategy, ZSP helps strengthen an organization's security posture and better protect assets from account-based compromise scenarios.
In a nutshell, ZSP is a cybersecurity framework specifically designed to limit the access permissions of system administrators and users with elevated privileges to the absolute minimum required for executing tasks.
ZSP operates as a privileged access management (PAM) strategy and ensures no user retains permanent administrative privileges. Instead, these privileges are granted only when necessary for specific tasks and promptly rescinded upon task completion. This dynamic approach to privilege allocation and access entitlements helps protect against insider threats and external threats, particularly those attack vectors that could provide illicit access to sensitive data or systems.
Zero standing privileges benefits
Implementing a ZSP model offers the following advantages:
- Reduced attack surface. By eliminating persistent privileged accounts, the number of potential entry points for malicious actors is minimized, decreasing the likelihood of unauthorized access.
- Mitigation of credential theft risks. Transient, task-specific privileges mean that even if credentials are compromised, their utility is limited in scope and duration, reducing potential damage.
- Enhanced compliance and auditability. ZSP aligns with regulatory requirements by ensuring access is granted based on necessity and is well documented, facilitating easier compliance audits.
- Prevention of privilege abuse. Temporary access rights deter users and accounts from exploiting elevated privileges for unauthorized activities, improving security models overall.
Zero standing privileges challenges
While ZSP enhances security measures, its implementation can present the following challenges:
- Operational complexity. Continuously granting and revoking privileges can introduce administrative overhead and might complicate workflows if not managed efficiently.
- User resistance. Users accustomed to persistent access might resist the shift to just-in-time (JIT) permissions, perceiving it as a hindrance to productivity.
- Tool integration. Implementing ZSP requires IAM tools capable of dynamic access management, which might necessitate integration with existing systems and usually involves a learning curve.
- Scalability concerns. Managing transient privileges across numerous users and systems is often resource-intensive, especially in large organizations with a highly diverse set of access requirements or multiple technology environments.
The future of zero standing privileges
Evolving security landscapes and technology advancements will influence the trajectory of ZSP. When considering the future of ZAP, keep the following in mind:
- Automation and AI integration. Future ZSP implementations are likely to use AI to automate privilege management, reducing manual intervention and enhancing efficiency.
- Improving UX. Developing user-friendly interfaces and seamless workflows are crucial in gaining user acceptance and minimizing disruptions.
- Broader adoption of zero-trust architectures. As organizations increasingly adopt zero-trust models, ZSP could become a foundational component, ensuring access is continuously verified and justified.
- Regulatory progress. Anticipated changes in compliance standards might mandate stricter access controls, prompting more organizations to adopt ZSP frameworks.
In general, ZSP does not represent a paradigm shift in access management philosophy and should be viewed as a modern PAM model that combines a zero-trust design with the principle of least privilege.
ZSP focuses on emphasizing security through minimal, JIT access permissions, which are a foundational capability in many zero-trust network access tools and services. Organizations embarking on a zero-trust journey should embrace the concept of ZSP and implement it for all privileged users and anyone with access to highly sensitive data and systems.
Dave Shackleford is founder and principal consultant at Voodoo Security, as well as a SANS analyst, instructor and course author, and GIAC technical director.
