Which technique best enforces least privilege in operational environments?

• A. Assigning all users admin rights by default.
• B. Implementing Just-In-Time access with time-bounded credentials.
• C. Blocking access to the internet entirely.
• D. Auditing after incidents only.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is granting users only what they need, when they need it, and nothing more. Just-In-Time access with time-bounded credentials delivers elevated privileges only for a defined window tied to a specific task, then automatically revokes them. This keeps permissions aligned with current requirements and minimizes the risk if a credential is compromised, since the elevated rights don’t persist.

Granting admin rights by default breaks least privilege and leaves a permanent wide-open door for abuse. Blocking internet access entirely is impractical and hampers productivity. Auditing after incidents doesn’t prevent privilege misuse in real time and doesn’t reduce exposure when access is granted.