Which term refers to unnecessary permissions that increase security risks?

• A. Excessive Access Rights
• B. Cost Justification
• C. Insufficient Access
• D. Activity Monitoring

Answer: (A)

Excessive access rights describe permissions that go beyond what a user needs to perform their duties. This increases security risk because every extra permission expands the potential for misuse, accidental data exposure, privilege escalation, and easier movement within a system if an account is compromised. In IAM practice, applying the principle of least privilege—granting only the minimum permissions required and regularly reviewing/revoking unused rights—helps reduce this risk.

Cost justification is about budgeting and not permissions. Insufficient access means too little access to perform tasks, which is a different problem. Activity monitoring focuses on observing actions, not on the presence of unnecessary permissions.