Zero › Module 2 › Lesson 3
Explicit Verify
Least privilege means minimum access needed for the task — just-in-time, just-enough access checklist on YOUR $ZT_LAB identity policy matrix.
Visual · t40_least_privilege
Least privilege tenet. $ZT_LAB. Original Cyberlium.
Opening
Standing admin is anti-ZT — Cyberlium teaches JIT/JEA literacy rows on fictional LAB-ZT-001 role matrix without attack-tool privilege escalation demos.
Least privilege limits user/application access to minimum required. ZT extends with Just-In-Time (JIT) and Just-Enough-Access (JEA) — time-bound elevation, approval workflow literacy, automatic revocation. Document role matrix: default user, app-specific roles, break-glass admin with logging — on $ZT_LAB identity folder. Refused: privilege escalation exploits as lab exercise. Next: Principles Lab.
1. Least privilege patterns (named)
RBAC with narrow roles. ABAC with attribute conditions. JIT elevation with ticket + approval. JEA for admin PowerShell/session boundaries literacy.
Service accounts: scoped permissions, no interactive login, rotation schedule on checklist.
Command guide
Try these commands — Least privilege patterns (named)
═══ LINUX / macOS (Terminal Practice) ═══
Check system state and user context
Command — copy this
id whoami uname -a
Inspect network sockets listening for connections
Command — copy this
ss -tuln 2>/dev/null || netstat -tuln
Audit active processes
Command — copy this
ps aux | grep -v "\[" | head -15
═══ WINDOWS (POWERSHELL) ═══ Query user identity and system information
Command — copy this
whoami /all Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object CsName, OsName, OsVersion
Primary tools to practice this lesson: grep, python3. Reference sites: NIST SP 800-207 (https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/800-207/final); CISA ZTMM Identity pillar (https://www.cisa.gov/zero-trust-maturity-model). Run every command in the box — install first, then the usage lines — only on YOUR lab / program scope.
2. Anti-patterns on LAB-ZT-001
Domain admin for helpdesk. Shared root credentials. Permanent vendor VPN to production. Document as fictional gaps for roadmap module.
Design fixes these — not student lab exploitation walkthroughs.
3. Role matrix habit
Table: Role | Apps | Permissions | JIT? | Review cadence — fictional users U-001.U-005.
Ship: least-privilege matrix with one JIT row. Next: Principles Lab.
4. What you ship: least-privilege role matrix
Role matrix with JIT row and review cadence. $ZT_LAB fictional users only. chmod 600.
5. What you record before the next lesson
Date. Role matrix. $ZT_LAB named. File t40-m02-l03-least-privilege.txt chmod 600.
6. Wrong vs right: bypass cookbooks vs YOUR ZT design
Worked failure — same MSF word, opposite target. Right never needs a café Wi-Fi or classmate laptop.
Wrong
Matrix grants all apps to all users for lab simplicity. Teach privesc to prove least privilege gaps.
Right
Write least-privilege matrix with JIT elevation row. Next: Principles Lab.
Mission: least-privilege matrix
1) Define three fictional roles. 2) Map minimum app permissions. 3) Add one JIT admin elevation row. 4) chmod 600.
Stuck? Ask Cyberlium AI Mentor
Break-glass admin needs logging + review — not permanent standing access.
Knowledge Check
APPLY: Just-In-Time (JIT) access means:
Multiple choice
Knowledge Check
APPLY: True or False: Least privilege allows default full network access after VPN.
True or False
Knowledge Check
APPLY: Least privilege matrix on Cyberlium uses:
Multiple choice