Which practice best supports controlled elevation of privileges with proper governance?

• A. Just-in-time elevation with approvals, session logging, and ongoing auditing best supports risk management.
• B. Elevation should be granted without checks.
• C. Logging is unnecessary.
• D. Elevation is permanent.

Answer: (C)

Controlled elevation of privileges relies on granting access only when it’s actually needed and for a limited time, with oversight. Just-in-time elevation with formal approvals ensures you have a defensible reason and authority before access is granted. Session logging records who elevated access, to what resources, and for how long, creating an auditable trail. Ongoing auditing then reviews activity over time to spot unusual or inappropriate use and to verify compliance with policies. Together, these practices embed governance into privilege management and reduce risk by keeping access tightly scoped, time-bound, and accountable.

Grants without checks undermine accountability and increase risk. Logging is essential for visibility and traceability, so saying it’s unnecessary defeats governance. Elevation that’s permanent removes the safeguards of least privilege and makes it easy for privileges to become misuse opportunities over time.