Modern IT infrastructure is typically no longer contained within a conventional network perimeter. Instead, companies often have hundreds of diffusely distributed cloud-based SaaS (Software-as-Service) apps. Each of these apps adds admin overhead, with user permissions assigned on a per app basis. Assigning permissions across a modern company, including partners, freelancers, and other external collaborators, can be complex and time-consuming. The result is that these permissions may become bloated and out-of-control, leading to “permission sprawl.”

Why does Permission Sprawl happen?

Permissions are sets of rules that determine what actions a user can take within a system, from viewing data to editing or deleting it. Ideally, these permissions should match a user’s security profile, their role, department, and the sensitivity level of data they need to interact with.

Following the principle of least privilege (PoLP) is essential: users should only have access to the minimum set of resources required to do their job. This minimizes the attack surface and reduces the risk of accidental or malicious data exposure.

This principle is central to modern cybersecurity frameworks like NIST’s Cyber Security Framework and ISO 27001.

Permission sprawl (also referred to as privilege creep) happens when access is granted too broadly, not revoked in time, or inconsistently managed. It often results from:

• Organizational growth and change

• Cross-functional collaboration

• Poor offboarding procedures

• A lack of automation in identity and access management (IAM)

Common triggers of permission sprawl:

• Default credentials: New employees may be given copied/pasted (instead of customized) permissions for faster onboarding.

• Changing roles: Employees may need different types of permissions and app access controls if they move departments or change roles.

• Ex-employees: It’s essential to revoke access permissions swiftly whenever a staff member leaves the organization. 

• Not performing regular reviews: Access needs change over time. For example, a department may need temporary access to a specific app. But if an organization fails to regularly check required access permissions, access rights can quickly become out-of-date and uncontrolled.

• Permission conflicts: If each department manages access rights, overlapping privileges can cause permission conflicts and cybersecurity risks. For example, if a user can both review and approve the same process, it creates a toxic combination and dangerous conflicts of interest. For example, if a single user can both create and approve purchase orders, that clearly creates opportunities for fraud.

Risks of permission sprawl

Unchecked permission sprawl introduces serious cybersecurity and compliance threats. Key risks include:

Data breaches: Unauthorized access and inappropriate access rights can lead to accidental or malicious data breaches. Permissions must be continuously monitored to ensure that least privilege is maintained as employees move into new roles or leave the company.

Insider threats: Uncontrolled access rights that provide excess privileges can lead to sensitive data leaks. Employees with access to sensitive data must be trained in maintaining the security and privacy of this data. Employees who are given access without such training can  leave data exposed.

Non-compliance: Many data protection and privacy regulations and standards require adherence to the principle of least privilege. Permission sprawl can easily result in a company going into non-compliance without realizing it — potentially resulting in hefty fines.

How does permission sprawl enter the enterprise?

It typically creeps in gradually, through everyday business activities that lack robust access governance. These include:

• -Default credentials: Cloning roles for simplicity leads to overexposure

• Changing roles: New responsibilities stack onto existing ones without permission cleanup

• Ex-employees: Departed staff accounts remain active, posing long-term vulnerabilities

• Not performing regular reviews: Quarterly or automated access reviews are often skipped

• Permission conflicts: Decentralized IT decisions cause overlapping and contradictory privileges

No or poor visibility of SaaS apps

SaaS apps can be challenging to make visible, especially if installed outside the normal purchasing protocol. Shadow IT, or unknown app usage, makes it difficult — and often impossible — to know who is using what apps to create and share data. This can make it challenging to maintain an accurate log of user access and permissions.

Overprovisioning

Lack of granular role controls or urgency to "just get people started" often results in too-broad access, especially in fast-paced environments.

Inconsistent access

Without centralized IAM, permission logic varies wildly between apps, creating frustration for users and complexity for IT teams.

Privilege creep

When roles evolve and access isn’t revoked, employees collect permissions over time. This creates a bloated permissions footprint.

Difficulty revoking access

An organization must use a robust SaaS access management strategy to ensure permissions are effectively revoked in all appropriate situations.

How can an organization avoid permission sprawl?

Identity and access management (IAM) solutions provide the tools to prevent permission sprawl. IAM tools provide the capability needed to continuously monitor, evaluate, and modify user access rights and permissions. Some advanced IAM tools provide automated permission management, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of permission sprawl control at scale.

Here are proven IAM strategies:

• Enforcement of least privilege - Ensure that users have the right level of access to do their job — and no more. Employ a "who can access what" approach to defining users, roles, and permissions. Enforce least privileged access using identity management and authentication and authorization options, including multi-factor authentication (MFA).

• Role-based access control (RBAC) - Use an RBAC approach to assign access permissions based on employee roles. Each employee performing a certain role should have the same and consistent access rights to network resources.

• Attribute-based access control (ABAC) - ABAC uses user attributes to set appropriate access controls. For example, a user’s email address or geographic location could be an attribute that’s used to set permissions to resources.

• Automation of onboarding and onboarding - Automated provisioning and deprovisioning prevents permission sprawl when employees enter, move within, or leave an organization. Automation of this task reduces human error and speeds up the process. Some automation tools allow department managers to securely onboard new people without having to rely on IT.

• Single-sign-on IAM strategy - Single-sign-on (SSO) allows sign-on across all applications using a single set of login credentials. SSO can help ensure access consistency and prevent permission sprawl.

Other types of sprawl in IT

Sprawl is a common problem across IT. Other types of sprawl include the following:

• Identity sprawl: As identity-based systems proliferate, an enterprise and its employees are increasingly generating identity accounts. These accounts can often go unmanaged and lead to security risks.

• Policy sprawl: Large numbers of unmanaged identity accounts can result in policy sprawl, where security policies become disjointed and overly complex.

• Account sprawl: As user accounts across an enterprise proliferate, consistent management of access and permissions becomes ever more challenging.

• SaaS sprawl: The number of SaaS apps has massively increased in recent years. The easy installation and affordability of SaaS apps have often led to situations where apps are uncontrolled and exist as part of shadow IT. This has led to SaaS app sprawl, where an enterprise struggles to manage permissions across these apps.

Examples of breaches that occurred because of permission sprawl

Capital One 2019: This mega breach at Capital One affected over 100 million individuals in the United States and approximately 6 million in Canada. The breach analysis identified a misconfigured web application firewall (WAF) that allowed excessive permissions to be exploited. The misconfigured WAF and uncontrolled permissions resulted in the unauthorized accessibility of data within 700 Amazon Web Services (AWS) buckets. Paige Thompson, a former AWS employee, used a tool to scan AWS accounts and look for misconfigured accounts. She then used these to gain unauthorized access to Capital One.

Sage, UK 2016: A data breach at accountancy software firm Sage impacted 280 UK businesses. The unauthorized access occurred when a disgruntled Sage employee used an internal login that gave her unrestricted access to customer-privileged accounts. Sage shares fell by over 4% after the incident.

Permission sprawl and compliance

Security frameworks and regulations in 2025 are increasingly explicit about managing access rights. Notable compliance drivers:

• SOC 2: Requires timely revocation of access upon employee departure

• HIPAA: Demands access audits for health data

• ISO 27001: Mandates principle of least privilege

• NIS2: Expands cyber risk coverage across EU critical infrastructure

Modern IAM solutions with automation and continuous monitoring help organizations stay compliant by minimizing human error and improving audit readiness. Permission automation is an effective way to manage permission sprawl and meet such regulatory requirements.

How can startups balance the need for employee autonomy with the need to control access and prevent sprawl?

Startups thrive on speed and agility, which can sometimes conflict with access control protocols. However, scaling fast doesn’t mean sacrificing security. To strike a balance:

• Implement role-based and automated access provisioning early

• Let managers request and track access within bounds defined by IT

• Use SSO and IAM tools to reduce manual overhead

• Regularly audit access logs and permissions

This approach empowers employees to be productive while maintaining governance and gives investors and auditors confidence in your security posture.