User permissions and two-factor authentication are a key element of a solid security infrastructure. The ability to manage permissions for users is an essential tool for reducing the risk that malicious or accidental insider activities can occur, minimizing the consequences of data breaches and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

1. Reduce the risk of insider Threats

A common way to limit access to users is to use the principle of least privilege, which stipulates that users must be granted the minimum level of privileges required for their job responsibilities. This helps to limit the impact of any unauthorized activities that are performed by employees or third-party vendors.

2. Minimize the Risk of a Data Breach

Many industries are governed by strict regulations which require strict data protection practices. By controlling user permissions organizations can ensure compliance by ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive data.

3. Reduce the possibility of third-party vendor activity

Many data breaches happen as a result of compromised credentials owned by third-party vendors. Regularly reviewing and updating user permissions can help to minimize the risk of unauthorized access by vendors from outside.

4. Allow Flexibility in Privilege Scalation

Role-based Access Control (RBAC) is now a common method of managing user permissions. It assigns specific rights based on roles that have been defined. The roles can be nested to allow for fine-grained access control. A senior physician, for example, may be granted more privileges while viewing patient data than an internist. RBAC can also be set to require two-factor authentication (2FA) even for certain roles, to limit the risk of an unauthorized entry, even if a password is compromised.

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