Why Companies Still Struggle with Least Privilege in the Cloud

Many companies struggle with implementing the least privilege principle in cloud environments due to the complexities of identity and access management (IAM). Despite existing frameworks and best practices, organizations often face challenges such as over-permissioned users, poor visibility into access controls, and the rapid evolution of cloud services. These issues are exacerbated by the need to balance functionality and security, as granting excessive permissions is often seen as necessary to maintain business efficiency. Moreover, the difficulty of managing permissions at scale, particularly with the involvement of machine identities, adds to the complexity. To address these challenges, organizations are encouraged to promote collaboration between IAM and IT teams, implement automated solutions for permission management, and focus on runtime detection to maintain security. While the pursuit of zero trust architectures and adherence to least privilege principles are widely acknowledged, the practical implementation remains challenging and requires tailored strategies to suit individual organizational needs.