All terms
Glossary
Least privilege
Every identity gets exactly the permissions its task requires, and none beyond that.
The principle does not limit the attack, it limits its radius. A compromised service with read access to one area does different damage than one with full access to the account.
It applies to humans and machines alike, and with machines it is easier to enforce, because their tasks are clearly bounded.
How you notice it
- Roles carry full access from the early days.
- Credentials are shared between services.
- Nobody knows what a compromised key could reach.
Frequently asked
How do I start in a grown system?
With the permissions actually used. AWS records every call, which produces the list of what a role really needs. Trim, then observe, then fix in place. Going by assumption breaks production.