Least Privilege Principle

The least privilege principle is a security guideline where each employee or system user is given the minimum level of access necessary to perform their job. In a dealership, this means configuring software and network permissions so that, for example, a sales consultant can only see and edit customer and vehicle information relevant to sales, while not being able to access accounting records or other departments’ data. By limiting access rights, the dealership reduces the potential damage from both accidents (like someone mistakenly altering data they shouldn’t) and malicious acts (if an account is compromised or an employee goes rogue). In Canada, applying least privilege also helps with privacy law compliance, ensuring personal information is only accessed by those who need it. Regular audits of user access are done to adjust permissions as roles change or staff leave, maintaining a secure and organized system of data access.