In the context of network security, what is privilege escalation?

Privilege escalation refers to the process by which an attacker gains elevated access to resources that are normally protected from the user. This can involve exploiting a vulnerability within the system or application to increase a user’s permissions beyond what was originally intended. For instance, a low-privileged user account may exploit weaknesses to gain administrative rights or access sensitive data, which they are typically not authorized to access.

The significance of this concept lies in its potential to lead to more severe security breaches, as an attacker with higher privileges can manipulate, steal, or delete crucial data, compromise other systems, and cover their tracks more effectively. Therefore, understanding how privilege escalation works is critical for network security professionals, as it highlights the importance of stringent access controls, regular audits, and security measures to mitigate such risks.