What Is Privilege Escalation?

Privilege escalation occurs when a user or attacker obtains permissions beyond those originally assigned, allowing access to restricted functions, data, or systems. Certification exams may distinguish vertical privilege escalation, in which someone gains a more powerful role, from horizontal privilege escalation, in which someone accesses another user’s resources at a similar permission level. An attacker might exploit a software flaw to become an administrator or manipulate an application request to view another customer’s records. Defenses include least privilege, secure coding, patch management, role-based access control, privileged-access management, application authorization checks, and monitoring for unusual permission changes. Investigators should identify the original access level, determine how privileges changed, review actions performed afterward, and remove any persistence created with the elevated access. Produced by BareMetalCyber.com, where you’ll find more cyber audio courses, books, and information to strengthen your educational path. Also, if you want to stay up to date with the latest news, visit DailyCyber.News for a newsletter you can use, and a daily podcast you can commute with. And dont forget Cyberauthor.me for the companion study guide and flash cards!