Introduction:
In today’s digital age, access control is critical for organizations to safeguard their sensitive data and systems.
Unauthorized access can lead to a range of security incidents, from data breaches to system failures.
Access control policies and procedures are established to ensure that only authorized individuals can access an organization’s assets.
The A.9.2.3 standard of the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 outlines the best practices for managing privileged access rights.
In this article, we will discuss how organizations can implement effective privileged access management practices.
Sample Checklist:
- Review system access/account controls for privileged users: Organizations must review their system access/account controls for privileged users such as SYSTEM, Admin, and ROOT. Enhanced controls should be in place to reflect the potential for abuse of privileges. Special account authorization procedures and monitoring systems should be implemented to detect and respond to any such abuse.
- Establish a process for regular reviews of privileged accounts: Organizations must have a process in place for more frequent and regular reviews of privileged accounts. This helps to identify and disable/delete redundant privileged accounts and reduce privileges. The review should be conducted at least once every six months.
- Generate separate user IDs for granting elevated privileges: A separate user ID should be generated for granting elevated privileges. This ensures that users do not have access to privileged accounts unless explicitly authorized.
- Set a time-bound expiry for privileged user IDs: Organizations should set a time-bound expiry for privileged user IDs. This ensures that privileged accounts are regularly reviewed and reduces the risk of unauthorized access.
- Change passwords or suspend user IDs when privileged users leave: When privileged users leave the organization or move internally, their user IDs should be immediately suspended or their passwords changed. This ensures that unauthorized access is prevented.
- Monitor privileged user activities closely: Organizations must monitor privileged user activities closely, especially during periods when a privileged user is leaving or moving internally. This helps to detect any suspicious activities and prevent unauthorized access.
Conclusion:
Privileged access management is critical for organizations to safeguard their sensitive data and systems.
The A.9.2.3 standard of the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 outlines the best practices for managing privileged access rights.
By following the above checklist, organizations can establish effective privileged access management practices, reduce the risk of unauthorized access, and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their assets.
