What principle of cyber defense involves minimizing user privileges to reduce risk?

The principle of least privilege is crucial in cyber defense as it involves granting users the minimum level of access necessary to perform their job functions. By limiting user privileges, the risk of accidental or malicious actions that could compromise the system is significantly reduced. This means that even if a user's account is compromised, the attacker would have limited capabilities, thereby protecting sensitive data and critical systems from unauthorized access.

Implementing the least privilege principle enhances the overall security posture of an organization by minimizing the potential attack surface. For example, if a user does not need administrative rights to complete their tasks, those rights should not be granted. This creates a more secure environment where each user operates with a tailored set of permissions aligned with their specific responsibilities.

In contrast to the remaining options, defense in depth involves using multiple layers of security controls and measures; vigilance refers to maintaining a heightened state of awareness and monitoring for threats; and access control is a broader concept that can include various mechanisms for regulating who can view or use resources in a computing environment but does not specifically address the minimization of permissions. Least privilege stands out as a targeted approach designed explicitly to manage and reduce user access rights.