Administrator privileges can be a double-edged sword: while IT teams need elevated rights to carry out their responsibilities, those same privileges can be exploited – either by insiders or by external attackers who compromise admin accounts.
The first line of defense against such threats is relatively simple: limit the number of admin-level accounts by revoking local admin rights from standard business users. Although end users often push back on this restriction, they rarely need these rights for day-to-day tasks. Removing them significantly reduces the power attackers gain if they take over a user’s account – preventing them from installing malware, for example, or deploying keyloggers.
However, this still leaves many highly privileged accounts across the IT infrastructure, which pose even greater risks. These accounts are essential for legitimate tasks like configuring infrastructure, onboarding new users, or resetting passwords. Unlike local admin rights, these elevated permissions can’t simply be stripped away – they must still be made available securely when needed.
A strong way to manage this challenge is through the concept of zero standing privileges (ZSP). Instead of persistent admin accounts, ZSP provides temporary, on-demand access. This article explores the ZSP model and how it addresses the limitations of conventional privileged access management (PAM) tools.
Why Traditional PAM Solutions Leave a Huge Attack Surface Area
Conventional PAM systems are designed to protect accounts with administrative access. In many environments, there can be dozens or even hundreds of such accounts. Typically, traditional PAM platforms store admin credentials in a secure vault. When access is needed, users check out the credentials and log in to systems such as databases or directory services like Active Directory.
But this model introduces major security gaps. Even with a vault in place, the constant existence of powerful accounts means those credentials are always vulnerable—either through insider misuse or external compromise.
Moreover, privileged accounts often accumulate far more access than required, creating ideal conditions for abuse or exploitation. Cybercriminals frequently target admin credentials precisely because of the access they provide to sensitive systems, data, and core infrastructure.
What Is Zero Standing Privileges?
Zero standing privileges is a next-generation PAM strategy that resolves the shortcomings of traditional solutions. Its objective is to eliminate – or at least minimize – the number of accounts with permanent elevated access. Instead, privileged access is granted only when required, tightly scoped to the task, and revoked immediately after use. This approach dramatically reduces the potential attack surface and lowers the risk of breaches or operational disruptions. As a result, ZSP aligns well with Zero Trust security frameworks by enforcing strict access control.
A helpful comparison is the role of a cashier: the cash drawer stays locked until a transaction is processed. Once it’s complete, it locks again automatically. There’s no persistent button, allowing access at any time – just like with ZSP-controlled access.
ZSP Example
Here’s how ZSP might work in practice. Suppose an administrator named Alex needs access to a secure system to perform a specific task:
- Alex submits a request outlining the task and required permissions.
- Upon approval, a temporary identity is created with the minimum necessary access.
- Alex completes the task (manually via RDP, for instance, or automatically via a system operation).
- Once the job is finished, the temporary access is revoked and the identity deleted.
Key Elements of ZSP
As this example shows, ZSP focuses on restricting access both in scope and duration. Therefore, a ZSP solution must support:
- Just-in-time (JIT) access — Users do not retain standing admin privileges. Instead, elevated access is granted precisely when needed and only for the duration of the required task.
- Just-enough privilege — Based on the principle of least privilege, access rights are narrowly scoped to cover only what’s necessary for the task. ZSP tools must enforce this principle when provisioning access, ensuring users receive only the permissions required for specific systems or applications.
Additional Valuable ZSP Capabilities
Advanced ZSP platforms typically include a range of helpful features, such as:
- Request and approval workflows — Most privileged access scenarios involve submitting a request that is reviewed and either approved or denied by authorized personnel. Automated workflows can accelerate and simplify this step, supporting broader adoption.
- Real-time session monitoring — Continuously observing privileged sessions helps identify suspicious activity and prevent potentially damaging actions in real time.
- Session recording and playback — Capturing session activity provides a reliable audit trail, supports forensic investigations, and ensures accountability—particularly useful for compliance reviews.
How Netwrix Can Help
Netwrix offerings like Netwrix Privilege Secure and Netwrix Password Secure empower you to adopt privileged access management (PAM) best practices and minimize the risks tied to elevated access. These solutions detect permanent privileges and replace them with access that is provisioned just in time and limited strictly to what is necessary. Additionally, they support automated workflows for access requests and approvals, and offer capabilities to observe, log, and replay privileged sessions—enabling early detection and mitigation of potential threats.
