Overview
Zero Standing Privilege (ZSP) eliminates permanent administrative access in favor of just-in-time (JIT), just-enough privileges. Administrators request access when needed, receive time-bound elevation scoped to specific resources, and privileges are automatically revoked after the task or session ends. Gartner identifies ZSP as a critical PAM evolution—organizations implementing ZSP report 80% reduction in privileged attack surface. ZSP represents the maturity endpoint of PAM, where no standing admin accounts exist.
Why It Matters
Standing privileges are sitting ducks—attackers specifically target always-on admin accounts because they provide persistent access. The 2025 Verizon DBIR reports that privilege escalation is involved in 74% of breaches, and standing privileges enable attackers to maintain persistence for an average of 277 days. ZSP fundamentally changes the equation: when no permanent admin access exists, there's nothing to steal. Organizations with ZSP report 80% reduction in privileged credential theft and 90% reduction in lateral movement success.
Key Concepts
1Just-in-Time (JIT) Access
Privileges granted only when requested, for a limited time (typically 1-8 hours). No standing admin rights exist for attackers to exploit. Reduces attack window from months to minutes.
2Just-Enough Access (JEA)
Grant minimum privileges needed for the specific task and resource. PowerShell JEA is a Microsoft implementation. Prevents over-provisioning common with traditional admin accounts.
3Approval Workflow
Multi-level approval required before granting privileged access. Manager and/or security approval creates accountability and audit trail. Can include business justification.
4Time-Bound Elevation
Privileges automatically expire after set duration. Typical policies: 1 hour for routine tasks, 4-8 hours for projects. No manual revocation needed—eliminates forgotten access.
5Break-Glass Access
Emergency access procedure for incidents when normal approval workflow is too slow. Heavily monitored, requires post-incident justification review. Alerts security team immediately.
6Privilege Scoping
Granting access to specific resources (server, database, application) rather than broad admin rights. Combines with JIT for highly targeted access.
7Session-Based Access
Privileges tied to specific session that can be monitored, recorded, and terminated. Access disappears when session ends.
Key Capabilities
- Just-in-time (JIT) privilege elevation with configurable time windows
- Multi-level approval workflows with business justification
- Automatic privilege revocation after task/session completion
- Privileged session recording with real-time monitoring
- Break-glass emergency access with alerting
- Privilege scoping to specific resources
- Azure AD PIM / AWS IAM role chaining integration
- Audit reporting for compliance
Benefits
- 80% reduction in privileged attack surface
- 90% reduction in lateral movement success after initial compromise
- Complete audit trail satisfying cyber insurance requirements
- Zero standing admin accounts to compromise
- Clear accountability for all privileged actions
- Faster incident response—no standing access to persist
- Compliance alignment with modern security frameworks
Common Challenges
Learning Path
Recommended learning sequence for Zero Standing Privilege
Understand the Risk
Learn why standing privileges are dangerous and how attackers exploit them
Inventory Standing Privileges
Discover all admin accounts, service accounts, and standing privileges
Design JIT Workflows
Create approval workflows, time limits, and exception handling
Implement JIT PAM
Deploy JIT capabilities with PAM platform
Eliminate Standing Privileges
Progressively remove standing admin access, monitor and adjust