8.18 Use of Privileged Utility Programs

The use of utility programs that can be capable of overriding system and application controls should be restricted and tightly controlled.

The use of privileged utility programs in information security refers to the use of specialized software programs that are used to perform specific system and network management tasks that require elevated privileges, such as administrative or root access.

Examples of privileged utility programs include:

• System administration tools: These tools are used to manage and configure various aspects of a system, such as users, groups, and services.
• Network management tools: These tools are used to manage and configure network devices, such as routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Backup and recovery utilities: These tools are used to create and manage backups of data, and to restore data in the event of a failure or disaster.
• Security tools: These tools are used to perform security-related tasks, such as vulnerability scanning, intrusion detection, and log analysis.
• Incident response tools: These tools are used to gather forensic data and perform incident response activities in the event of a security incident.
The use of privileged utility programs is important because they allow system administrators and security personnel to perform critical tasks that are necessary to maintain the security and availability of a system or network. However, it is important to use these tools with caution and to ensure that they are used in accordance with organisational policies and best practices, as the misuse of privileged utility programs can introduce security vulnerabilities and increase the risk of a security incident.