What is a least privilege violation, and why does allowing all users to modify security logs create risk? Learn how enforcing least privilege protects critical files and reduces the attack surface—essential for CompTIA Security+ (Plus) SY0-701 exam success.
Table of Contents
Question
A user finds that they can modify security logs because file permissions allow all users to write to them. What is the security issue?
A. Least privilege violation
B. Insecure API exposure
C. Unpatched vulnerability
D. Race condition
E. Privilege escalation
Answer
A. Least privilege violation
Explanation
Users should have the minimum permissions needed to perform their job.
The security issue when file permissions allow all users to write to security logs is a least privilege violation.
The principle of least privilege (PoLP) requires that users, programs, and processes are granted only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their specific tasks—no more, no less.
Allowing all users to write to security logs exceeds this minimum requirement. Security logs are critical for monitoring, auditing, and investigating security incidents; unrestricted write access exposes them to tampering, deletion, or falsification by any user, undermining their integrity and reliability.
A least privilege violation increases the risk of insider threats, accidental or intentional data modification, and makes it easier for attackers or malicious insiders to cover their tracks after unauthorized activity.
Proper implementation of least privilege ensures that only authorized personnel (such as system administrators or security officers) have write access to sensitive files like security logs, while regular users have read-only or no access as appropriate.
Enforcing least privilege not only protects critical system resources but also reduces the attack surface, limits the potential impact of malware, and supports compliance with regulatory standards.
Allowing all users to modify security logs violates the principle of least privilege, exposing the organization to tampering, loss of audit integrity, and increased security risk.
CompTIA Security+ (Plus) SY0-701 certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the CompTIA Security+ (Plus) SY0-701 exam and earn CompTIA Security+ (Plus) SY0-701 certification.