Which scenario best illustrates least-privilege access?

• A. A user has only the permissions required to perform their job.
• B. A user has administrator rights to all systems.
• C. All users share a single elevated group.
• D. Permissions are granted permanently with no review.

Answer: (A)

Least-privilege access means giving each user only the minimum permissions needed to perform their job. This limits what someone can do if their account is compromised or misused, because they cannot access systems or data beyond what their role requires. The scenario where a user has only the permissions required to perform their job shows this principle in action: they can complete their tasks but cannot execute actions outside their role. The other scenarios break this principle: administrator rights to all systems grant far more access than necessary; sharing a single elevated group means everyone has high privileges; and granting permissions permanently with no review allows privileges to accumulate and stay in place even when they’re no longer needed. Regular reviews and role-based or temporary access further support maintaining least-privilege controls.