The Importance of User Permissions and Two Factor Authentication

A robust security infrastructure is built around the user’s permissions and two-factor authentication. The ability to manage permissions for users is a crucial tool in reducing the likelihood that malicious or accidental insider activity can occur, minimizing the impact of data breaches, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

1. Reduce the threat of insider threats

A common way to limit access for users is to apply the principle of least privilege, which states that users should be granted the minimum amount of privileges that they require for their job. This minimizes the impact of any unauthorized or illegal activity carried out by employees or third-party vendors.

2. Minimize the Risk of a Data Breach

Many industries are subject to strict regulatory requirements that require strict data protection practices. Management of user permissions enables organizations to ensure compliance by ensuring that only authorized individuals can access sensitive information.

3. Reduce the Risk of Third-Party Vendor Activity

Many data breaches are the result of compromised credentials held by third-party vendors. Regularly reviewing and updating permissions for users can help minimize the risk of unauthorized access by third-party vendors.

4. Allow Flexibility in Privilege Scalation

Role-based access control (RBAC) is a well-known approach to managing user permissions that assigns access rights according to predefined roles. The roles can be nested to provide specific access control. For example, a senior physician may have higher access rights than a junior doctor in terms of accessing patient information. RBAC can also be configured to require a two-factor authentication (2FA) even for specific roles to minimize the risk of being unauthorized to access the system even if a password is compromised.

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