The principle of least privilege (PoLP) is a fundamental security concept: users and systems should only have the minimum access necessary to perform their tasks. This reduces the potential impact of accidental actions, insider threats, and cyberattacks.
For example, a user who only needs to read a document should not be granted editing or administrative rights. Overprovisioning access—even unintentionally—can open the door to unauthorized data exposure or manipulation.
In highly regulated environments handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), PoLP is not just a best practice—it’s often a requirement. However, enforcing it across a complex, distributed IT environment can be challenging.
That’s why many organizations isolate sensitive workloads within a CMMC enclave. These secure, purpose-built environments make it easier to manage permissions at a granular level and prevent access sprawl.
By applying PoLP within an enclave, teams can better align with compliance frameworks while improving overall cybersecurity hygiene.