Which access control principle focuses on granting users minimal levels of access?

The principle of least privilege is focused on ensuring that users are granted only the minimum levels of access necessary to perform their job functions. This approach helps to reduce the risk of accidental or malicious data exposure and limits the potential impact of a security breach. By restricting access rights in this manner, an organization can maintain tighter control over sensitive information and reduce its vulnerability to insider threats and external attacks.

When users have excessive permissions, they may inadvertently access, modify, or delete information that they do not need for their tasks, thus increasing the organization’s risk profile. Implementing the least privilege principle effectively means that users are assigned just enough permissions to fulfill their roles and responsibilities, and nothing more. This strategy is integral to a comprehensive security policy and promotes a culture of security awareness within the organization.

The other concepts, while important in their own right, do not focus specifically on this aspect of access control.