id: "AC-06" title: "Least Privilege" family: "AC" family_name: "Access Control" sort_id: "ac-06" priority: "P1" implementation_level: "organization" enhancements: - ac-6.1 - ac-6.2 - ac-6.3 - ac-6.4 - ac-6.5 - ac-6.6 - ac-6.7 - ac-6.8 - ac-6.9 - ac-6.10
Statement
Employ the principle of least privilege, allowing only authorized accesses for users (or processes acting on behalf of users) that are necessary to accomplish assigned organizational tasks.
Guidance
Organizations employ least privilege for specific duties and systems. The principle of least privilege is also applied to system processes, ensuring that the processes have access to systems and operate at privilege levels no higher than necessary to accomplish organizational missions or business functions. Organizations consider the creation of additional processes, roles, and accounts as necessary to achieve least privilege. Organizations apply least privilege to the development, implementation, and operation of organizational systems.
Assessment Objective
the principle of least privilege is employed, allowing only authorized accesses for users (or processes acting on behalf of users) that are necessary to accomplish assigned organizational tasks.
Access control policy
procedures addressing least privilege
list of assigned access authorizations (user privileges)
system configuration settings and associated documentation
system audit records
system security plan
other relevant documents or records
Organizational personnel with responsibilities for defining least privileges necessary to accomplish specified tasks
organizational personnel with information security responsibilities
system/network administrators
Mechanisms implementing least privilege functions