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Security Fundamentals & Crypto · Foundational

Privilege Creep

Gradual accumulation of access rights beyond what a user's current role requires.

Definition

Privilege creep happens when users change roles and receive new permissions without old ones being removed. It violates least privilege and increases insider and compromise risk. Regular access reviews and role-based provisioning prevent it.

Example

An employee who worked in HR, then Finance, then IT still has access to all three departments' data.

Exam tip

Access reviews and mover processes are the fix for privilege creep.

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