The goal of Endpoint Privilege Management is to minimize the risk of security breaches by restricting access to privileged accounts and functions. Enforcing privilege security on the endpoint is a fundamental part of this security program. EPM helps by allowing organizations to block and contain attacks at the endpoint, reducing the risk of information being stolen or encrypted and held for ransom.However, this impacts user and help desk productivity.

While IT teams choose to give users local admin rights and to either not enforce least privilege whatsoever or maintain very relaxed policies, such an approach may compromise the security. On the other hand, following the path of least privilege approval, local admin rights removal etc also poses its own challenges:

1. Lost Business Productivity

Business users may not be able to perform specific tasks or use specific applications that are necessary for their daily jobs if organizations remove all of their privileges. Extreme privilege policies have the potential to collapse the company.

2. High Help Desk Costs

Business users must contact the help desk in order to get the necessary permissions restored when IT policies prohibit them from performing essential daily tasks. This has the potential to greatly increase IT expenses and strain the support staff.

3. Increased Security Risks Due To ‘privilege Creep’

When faced with an occasional pressing need, users who lack the necessary tools often necessitate local admin rights and rarely relinquish them.

4. Increased Risk Of Successful Malware-based Attacks

Attackers can still succeed in their objectives even in cases where malware does not depend on elevated privileges if there are no thorough application control policies in place.

While enforcing privilege security at the endpoint is fundamental for an effective security program, it is essential to acknowledge the challenges associated with striking the right balance.The trade-off between security and usability is evident, and organizations must navigate this delicate balance to ensure a secure environment without hindering essential business operations. Striking the right balance in privilege management requires a nuanced approach that considers both security imperatives and the practical needs of end-users. By carefully navigating these challenges, organizations can establish a robust Endpoint Privilege Management strategy that optimally safeguards against security threats while ensuring the continued efficiency of daily business operations.

If you have queries related to Cybersecurity / Password Management / Access Management etc. reach out to our in-house Cyber Protection experts.

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