Topic starter
16/09/2026 9:21 am
TL;DR: Least privilege only works when every identity, human or machine, is constrained to the task it actually performs, and Securden’s analysis shows valid credentials and standing access now drive most breaches, not broken software. The real governance problem is that enterprise IAM still assumes access can be granted broadly and reviewed later, even as AI and NHI behaviour demands tighter, runtime-scoped control.
Editorial analysis by NHI Mgmt Group, based on content published by Securden: “The Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): What It Is and How to Enforce It”.
Key questions
Q: What breaks when standing privilege exists for non-human identities?
A: A single compromised credential can be reused across systems, extended over time, and combined with lateral movement.
Q: Why do valid credentials create so much risk in API environments?
A: Valid credentials are risky when the API trusts them too broadly.
Q: How do security teams know whether least privilege is actually working?
A: Least privilege is working when identities have narrowly scoped permissions, unused credentials are removed or quarantined, and repeated access reviews consistently shrink entitlements.
Practitioner guidance
- Map privilege by identity type Separate humans, service accounts, API clients, and AI-driven workflows in the entitlement model so each can be judged by its actual task scope rather than a shared permission template.
- Replace standing access with time-bound elevation Use just-in-time elevation for administrative and high-risk operations so privileged access exists only for the task window and is removed when the session ends.
- Inventory non-human credentials and secrets Discover service accounts, API keys, tokens, SSH keys, and certificates, then remove unused or unmanaged identities that still hold access to production systems.
Bottom line: Least privilege is only effective when access scope matches the task for humans, service identities, and AI-driven workflows.
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16/09/2026 9:22 am
Least privilege has become an identity integrity problem, not just an access review exercise: The article is right to frame PoLP as the control that determines how far legitimate access can travel when credentials are compromised. That matters across human, machine, and AI estates because broad grants turn every authenticated identity into a potential pivot point. The practitioner conclusion is simple: access scope is now a first-order security variable, not an audit afterthought.
A few things that frame the scale:
- Systems with least-privileged AI access had a 17% incident rate vs 76% for over-privileged systems. Organisations failing to scope AI access properly are 4.5x more likely to experience a security incident, according to the 2026 Infrastructure Identity Survey.
- 97% of NHIs carry excessive privileges, increasing unauthorised access and broadening the attack surface, according to the Ultimate Guide to NHIs.
A question worth separating out:
Q: What is the difference between just-in-time access and standing privilege?
A: Just-in-time access grants privilege only for a defined task window, while standing privilege remains active until someone removes it. JIT reduces exposure by shrinking the time an identity can be abused, but standing privilege creates a constant attack surface. For NHI programs, the difference is often the difference between contained risk and persistent exposure.
👉 Read our full editorial: Least privilege across human, machine, and AI identities