Which general requirement should be followed to minimize privilege exposure?

• A. Follow the principle of least privilege when applicable.
• B. Minimize implementation and maintenance effort when possible.
• C. Maximize performance at all costs.
• D. Centralize all access control.

Answer: (A)

Minimizing privilege exposure is achieved by applying the principle of least privilege: give users, processes, and services only the access rights they truly need to perform their tasks, and revoke any rights that aren’t necessary. This tightens the security boundary so that even if an account is compromised or a flaw is exploited, the possible damage is limited because the attacker can’t access everything. Implementing this often involves role-based access control, just-in-time elevation, regular access reviews, and separating duties to prevent over-privileged accounts.

Other approaches don’t directly address how much privilege is granted. Merely aiming to reduce implementation or maintenance effort, or pursuing maximum performance, can conflict with security goals. Centralizing access control helps administration, but without enforcing precise, minimal privileges for each role, privilege exposure can still remain high.