{"id":50716,"date":"2024-12-18T07:57:40","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T14:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syteca.com\/?p=50716"},"modified":"2025-12-24T05:43:42","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T12:43:42","slug":"zero-standing-privileges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syteca.com\/en\/blog\/zero-standing-privileges","title":{"rendered":"Zero Standing Privileges: Minimizing Attack Surfaces in Organizations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Restricting access to critical data and systems is the backbone of strong organizational cybersecurity. Zero standing privileges (ZSP) is an access management strategy that helps organizations limit access to resources as much as possible in order to minimize cybersecurity risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explore the elements of a ZSP strategy, explain the risks related to standing privileges, and examine how to implement ZSP in your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is \u201czero standing privileges\u201d (ZSP)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Zero standing privileges (ZSP), <\/strong>or zero standing access, is a cybersecurity principle that eliminates persistent, always-on access rights from all human and service accounts<\/a>. Instead, ZSP ensures that users receive access only temporarily and strictly according to the context of their task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Zero standing privileges (ZSP) is the purest form of JIT, which addresses the final guidance of the principle of least privilege \u201cat only the right time,\u201d by eliminating the risk of standing privileges.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Michael Kelley, Felix Gaehtgens, Abhyuday Data, \u201cRemove Standing Privileges Through a Just-in-Time PAM Approach<\/a>\u201c, Gartner Research, 6 September 2019 (Gartner subscription required)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The ZSP model is often mentioned as the implementation of three major security approaches: zero trust<\/a>, the principle of least privilege (POLP)<\/a>, and just-in-time<\/a> (JIT) PAM. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Zero<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Standing privileges<\/strong> are sustained access rights assigned to user accounts, applications, or services. Standing privileges provide access to systems and resources within an organization\u2019s network regardless of whether they\u2019re actively used. These privileges often apply to accounts or entities that are essential for managing IT infrastructure, but pose significant security risks when left unmanaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common examples of standing privileges include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n