Imagine you’re running a race with your team. Everyone’s ultra-focused, running at their best pace, when all of a sudden, some team members start veering off on detours. Not because they need to, but because they have the option to. This is what happens in far too many businesses today with employees having admin rights they don’t actually need. It creates inefficiencies, distractions, and security vulnerabilities. How many of your employees have admin rights that are not essential for their roles? And what impact is this having on your business? In this blog, we investigate how restricting admin rights can actually serve to boost productivity – rather than hamper it.
Understanding Admin Rights
Admin rights are powerful tools designed to allow users to install software, change system settings, and perform other critical tasks on their endpoints. They are essential for IT administrators but often end up being granted more broadly, creating unnecessary risks. While it may seem convenient to give employees these rights to avoid minor disruptions, this practice can lead to significant inefficiencies and security vulnerabilities.
The Security Risks of Unnecessary Admin Rights
When employees have admin rights they don’t need, it opens up your network to a myriad of risks. Each unnecessary admin account increases your attack surface, making it easier for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities. According to Forrester, 80% of data breaches involve access to a privileged account. These breaches can lead to severe financial losses, data theft, and damage to your company’s reputation.
Take, for example, the Target data breach of 2013: Attackers initially gained access to Target’s network through a third-party HVAC vendor. Once inside, they used lateral movement techniques to navigate through the network and escalate privileges. This allowed them to compromise point-of-sale (POS) systems and steal credit and debit card information from approximately 40 million customers, resulting in significant financial losses and reputational damage for Target.
Compliance and Financial Implications
Beyond the immediate security risks, excessive admin rights can lead to compliance breaches. Regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS have strict guidelines on who can access certain types of data and how that access is managed. Non-compliance can result in hefty fines and legal battles. A study by IBM found that the global average cost of a data breach in 2023 was $4.45 million. For small to medium-sized businesses, these costs are more than likely to be devastating.
The Productivity Paradox
While it may seem counterintuitive, giving employees admin rights can actually reduce productivity. When employees have the power to make system changes, they often end up causing unintentional disruptions. IT support then has to spend valuable time fixing issues that could have been avoided. This creates a paradox where the perceived convenience of admin rights actually leads to more inefficiencies.
Consider a typical day in your IT department. How much time is spent resolving issues caused by unnecessary admin changes? How many hours are wasted on tasks like reinstalling software, recovering lost data, or troubleshooting system errors? These disruptions can be minimized by restricting admin rights, allowing your IT team to focus on more strategic tasks.
The Solution: Admin By Request
So, what’s the solution to this productivity paradox? How can businesses restrict admin rights without hampering employees’ ability to perform necessary tasks? The answer lies in a robust Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution like Admin By Request.
Admin By Request eliminates local admin rights while still allowing users to gain admin rights on a Just-In-Time basis. This means that employees can request temporary admin access when they need it, without compromising security. The process is simple and controlled, ensuring that all admin activities are monitored and logged.
By implementing Admin By Request, businesses can:
- Enhance Security: Reducing the number of admin accounts minimizes the attack surface and makes it harder for hackers to infiltrate the network.
- Ensure Compliance: Controlled admin access helps businesses meet compliance standards and avoid costly fines.
- Improve Productivity: IT support can focus on strategic initiatives rather than mundane tasks like printer installations and software updates.
Restricting Admin Rights = Increased Productivity
The convenience of admin rights for every employee comes at a significant cost to your business’s security, compliance, and productivity. It’s time to take a closer look at how many of your employees have admin rights they don’t actually need. By restricting these rights and implementing a solution like Admin By Request, you can streamline your IT operations, enhance security, and ultimately improve productivity. Don’t let unnecessary admin rights become the detours in your race to success. Book a demo with Admin By Request today and discover how you can secure your digital landscape while empowering your team to work efficiently and safely. Your business deserves the best protection, and your IT team deserves the freedom to focus on what truly matters.
