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Privileged Access

Privileged access includes permissions that allow users to administer infrastructure, modify security settings, manage other users, access sensitive production resources, or otherwise perform high-impact operations.

Examples include administrative access to AWS, Fly.io, Cloudflare, GitHub, Xata, and Infisical.

1. Requirements

Privileged access must:

  • Be limited to authorized personnel with a documented business need.
  • Be explicitly approved before provisioning, following the access request process.
  • Use MFA and other applicable security controls.
  • Be recorded in the Access Management Register.
  • Be included in the monthly privileged-access review.
  • Be revoked or reduced when the business need ends.

Where practical, routine activities should be performed using non-administrative permissions, with elevated access reserved for tasks that require it.

Temporary privileged access should have a defined expiry date and be removed when the approved period ends. Persistent privileged access must be periodically reassessed to confirm that it remains necessary.

2. Emergency Access

Emergency access may be granted when necessary to address an incident, restore a critical service, or prevent significant operational or security impact.

Emergency access must be limited to the permissions and duration necessary to address the situation.

Where circumstances permit, authorization must be obtained before access is granted from an authorized Engineering Lead or designated system owner. If the usual approver is unavailable, contact another authorized approver. If delay would create significant operational or security impact and no authorized approver can be reached in time, an individual already authorized to respond to the incident may grant or use the minimum access necessary. This exception is for the incident only; it does not approve routine or ongoing access.

If DevOps is unavailable, an administrator already authorized for the affected system may provision the emergency access. Do not share accounts or credentials, or give a person new administrative access solely to bypass the normal process.

The individual granting or using emergency access must record the reason prior approval was impracticable, the scope and duration of access, and the incident in Linear as soon as practicable. An authorized Engineering Lead or system owner independent of the access recipient must review and document the decision and actions as soon as practicable after the incident.

Emergency access records must include:

  • The incident or business justification.
  • The individual receiving access.
  • The system and permissions involved.
  • The authorizing individual, where applicable.
  • The time access was granted and revoked.
  • The actions taken, where relevant.
  • The retrospective review outcome.

Emergency access must be revoked when no longer required and included in the applicable access-review process.