Administrators, senior employees, and other C-suite executives usually hold permanent access to the most sensitive data and resources across organizations.
Permanent, high-level permissions, also known as standing privileges, may feel like a convenient practice but you must also consider the risks and security gaps associated with them.
Once breached, these standing privileges will act like a master key, giving malicious actors a free pass to all your critical systems and resources.
Zero Standing Privileges is a security strategy that helps organizations distance themselves from this risky practice and adopt a more dynamic approach to privileged access management.
Standing Privileges are permanent, high-level access rights given to users, applications, or systems that stay active around the clock.
Generally, organizations use standing privileges for their IT admins, database managers, and service accounts. For example, a system administrator might have continuous root access to critical servers, or a database admin could have persistent rights to modify sensitive data structures.
These access rights stay active whether they're being used or not, leaving them vulnerable to misuse or exploitation.
Standing privileges show up in many forms across enterprise systems:
- Admin accounts with persistent root access
- Service accounts with constant database permissions
- Applications with unchanging API access tokens
- User accounts with permanent elevated rights
These privileges provide attackers with a golden opportunity. Once they compromise a user or system with standing access, they can leverage it to escalate their attack, access sensitive data, or disrupt operations.
Standing privileges create serious security weak spots in your organization. Just like a lost key that unlocks every door, compromised standing privileges can give attackers unlimited access to your systems.
The main risks associated with standing privileges include:
- Increased Attack Surface: Standing privileges expand your organization’s attack surface, making it easier for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities or escalate privileges once they gain access to your privileged account and establish an initial foothold.
- Credential Misuse: Employees or contractors with continuous high-level access may misuse their standing privileges and permissions intentionally or unintentionally. Additionally, if they are compromised through phishing, malware, or brute-force attacks, this could lead to data breaches and other cybersecurity incidents.
- Compliance Violations: Regulatory frameworks like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS often require organizations to minimize access rights. Failure to address standing privileges can lead to compliance gaps and hefty fines.
- Operational Inefficiency: With standing privileges, organizations struggle to enforce the principle of least privilege—granting access only on a need-to-know basis. This can result in over-privileged accounts that complicate auditing and monitoring efforts.
Here are a few real-world examples that’ll give you a better idea of the risks of standing privileges:
- A major retailer faces a data breach when hackers steal credentials from an HVAC vendor with persistent system access.
- A tech company's database gets exposed when an old admin account, still holding full privileges, gets compromised.
- A financial institution suffers losses when a former employee uses their unchanged elevated access to manipulate records.
Standing privileges are a ticking time bomb. Eliminating them with a Zero Standing Privileges strategy is a proactive way to mitigate these risks and build a more secure access management framework.
Is Your Attack Surface Growing Unchecked?
Standing privileges are a key contributor. Address this weak spot with Securden’s Endpoint Privilege Manager.
Zero Standing Privileges, or the ZSP model (a term coined by Gartner), is a modern cybersecurity framework designed to eliminate the persistent risks of standing privileges. It puts an end to the outdated practice of granting permanent administrative access to individuals.
Instead of granting users or systems continuous access to sensitive data or resources, ZSP grants permissions only when needed—and then revokes them immediately upon task completion.
Hence, ZSP aligns with the principle of least privilege and the zero trust framework, providing the bare minimum access necessary at any given time.
To put the Zero Standing Privileges (ZSP) model in practice, you can leverage Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions like Securden’s Unified PAM that’ll help you enforce the ZSP principles with advanced features like granular control and just-in-time access.
These tools simplify temporary access provisioning and automate revocation while providing comprehensive oversight with detailed audit trails and logs—all of which are essential for implementing ZSP.
Just-in-Time Access: A Key Component of Zero Standing Privileges
Just-in-Time (JIT) access is a critical feature that ensures users and systems receive access only when necessary—precisely when they need them, and only for the duration of the task. It is a cornerstone of the ZSP model, a non-negotiable if you may for achieving a ZSP strategy.
How Does Just-in-Time Access Work:
- On-demand Requests: Users or systems raise requests for elevated privileges, often through PAM tools like Unified PAM.
- Time-Bound Access: Approved requests grant permissions for a specific period, automatically revoking the user’s access once the task is completed.
- Audit Trails: Every request, approval, and activity is logged and recorded for future analysis, making it easier to meet compliance requirements.
Here’s how the JIT workflow will pan out in practice:
A developer needs to update a production server. They submit a request through their PAM solution, stating why they need access and for how long. Their manager reviews and approves the request. The system, then approves the privilege escalation, granting them the right access required for the job—nothing more, nothing less. Once their time window closes, their privileges are revoked automatically.
Modern tools like Unified PAM can help you automate the entire process so that your team isn’t bogged down with access requests or troubled by approval delays.
Outdated Access Practices Could Be Costing You
Reduce operational inefficiencies and compliance violations by implementing Zero Standing Privileges with Securden’s Endpoint Privilege Manager.
Removing standing privileges and adopting a ZSP model unlocks multiple security as well as operational benefits that go beyond basic access control. Let’s take a look at five ways how ZSP strengthens your security posture while also making access management simpler and more efficient.
Reduced Attack Surface
When users don't have constant access to administrative accounts, malicious actors face a major roadblock. Without static credentials to steal, attackers can't easily gain complete control of your systems. Your organization limits access points, making it significantly harder for threats to take hold.
Automated Access Control
No more tracking down admins for permission changes or dealing with forgotten access revocations. A ZSP model when implemented and configured with a PAM solution like Securden’s Unified PAM, eliminates a major chunk of manual work out of access management. PAM tools will handle all the heavy lifting - granting and revoking users' access automatically based on preset rules, schedules, and policies.
Clear Audit Trail
Every privilege request, approval, and usage gets logged automatically, creating a detailed map of who accessed what and when making security audits and compliance checks for frameworks like GDPR, HIPPA, and PCI DSS straightforward. When auditors ask questions, you'll have answers ready.
Stops Privilege Abuse
By moving away from always-on administrative accounts, you stop privilege abuse before it starts. Non-human users and service accounts get the same treatment—limited access, strictly controlled. The least-privilege access approach keeps your sensitive systems protected without sacrificing productivity.
Limits Attack Spread
If attackers breach one system with certain compromised user credentials, they can't hop freely to others. ZSP cuts off the paths attackers use for lateral movement through your network. Each system needs separate access requests and approvals, containing potential breaches to where they start.
Believe it or not, these benefits and more are achievable without adding complexity to your daily operations. By deploying advanced and reliable PAM solutions, your teams can maintain their productivity while working within a more secure framework.
Let’s break down the implementation process into manageable pieces.
Map Out Your Privileged Accounts
First things first, you need to inventory all your privileged accounts and map out your current setup. Begin with a comprehensive audit of all privileged accounts, permissions, and access points across your network. List out:
- Service accounts running critical applications
- Emergency access accounts and their current holders
- Shared admin accounts across teams
- Built-in administrator accounts in different systems
- Accounts with database modification rights
Define Access Policies Based on Your Business Needs
Collaborate with department heads and system owners to define access policies that align with operational workflows. Categorize privileges into granular levels to ensure users receive only the exact permissions required for specific tasks. Be specific—define both the scope (what resources) and duration (how long) of access.
Adopt a Privileged Access Management (PAM) Solution
Deploy a PAM solution equipped to enforce ZSP principles. Look for advanced PAM features like Just-in-Time (JIT) access provisioning, automated approval workflows, and real-time monitoring. Ensure the solution integrates seamlessly with your existing IT infrastructure, including Active Directory, cloud platforms, and third-party applications.
Here’s a solution that fits the bill—Unified PAM. In addition to boasting all the PAM features listed above, Unified PAM also integrates across platforms to make it easier for you to tighten your security framework with the ZSP model. Plus, you can always rely on our team of experts to get you through the implementation without breaking a sweat.
Implement Just-in-Time Access
Integrate JIT access mechanisms to enable temporary, task-based access. Pair this with multi-factor authentication (MFA) for an added layer of security. Make sure the implementation doesn’t disrupt workflows by testing JIT access scenarios in sandbox environments before full deployment.
Automate Privilege Escalation Requests
Simplify how users request elevated access by automating the process. With Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), you have role-specific approval workflows, where access requests are evaluated based on predefined criteria. Automation ensures timely approvals while reducing the administrative burden on IT teams.
Monitor Access and Enforce Accountability
Set up continuous monitoring to track access requests, approvals, and usage patterns. Deploy real-time alerts for any unusual or unauthorized activity. Use detailed audit logs to hold users accountable and to meet compliance requirements during audits.
Regularly Review and Refine Policies
Access needs to evolve, so it’s vital to revisit and refine your ZSP policies periodically. Schedule routine reviews to adjust permissions, deactivate unused accounts, and ensure compliance with emerging regulations.
Measure Effectiveness with KPIs
Establish metrics to evaluate the success of your ZSP implementation. Examples include reduced incidents of privilege abuse, shorter access provisioning times, and compliance audit pass rates. Use these insights to address gaps and improve implementation.
Refine and Optimize
Regularly review access policies and leverage the reports generated with the metrics established in the last step to further refine your ZSP model.
Always keep in mind, that our final goal with this undertaking isn’t perfect implementation, it’s better security. Start with these steps and adjust based on your organization's needs to carry out an effective implementation of the Zero Standing Privileges concept.
Moving away from standing privileges might feel like a disruptive change, but the security benefits make it worthwhile.
Zero Standing Privileges create a robust defense against both external threats and insider risks while keeping your teams productive and efficient.
When you finally make up your mind and are ready to take this step, choosing the right technology partner matters.
Securden stands out as a pioneer in privileged access governance, offering tools built specifically for modern security needs.
Our Unified PAM solution automates temporary access workflows, handles credential vaulting, and maintains detailed audit logs - all through a single, user-friendly platform.
Additionally, you can also check out our other purpose-built solutions like Endpoint Privilege Manager which ensures fine-grained control over access at the endpoint level, helping you achieve true Zero Standing Privileges without compromising productivity.
Schedule a demo today to see how our solutions can help you remove standing privileges without disrupting your business operations.
Take Proactive Steps to Secure Your Systems
Address the risks of standing privileges before they become breaches. Discover how Securden’s EPM can help you implement a Zero Standing Privileges framework.
