vertical-privilege-escalation

To test vertical privilege escalation, use a low-privilege account to attempt accessing high-privilege endpoints and verify that access is denied. This process requires at least two test accounts with clearly defined baselines within a controlled testing environment.

Vertical privilege escalation occurs when low-privilege accounts access high-privilege functions or admin interfaces due to weak access controls. It involves bypassing RBAC or ABAC restrictions to execute unauthorized administrative actions across web services.

Yes, auditing access control gaps requires at least two test accounts to validate boundaries between user roles. You need a low-privilege user to test against high-privilege interfaces, ensuring restricted permissions prevent admin-only actions.

Generate auditable evidence by documenting the results of boundary testing between user roles. This skill produces test artifacts that confirm whether access is denied or logged, providing remediation steps and compliance review records for weak access controls.

Yes, this approach supports both RBAC and ABAC systems for compliance reviews. It validates access control gaps by testing whether restricted users can perform admin-only actions, generating artifacts suitable for auditing workflows across backend services.

Audit web services for weak access controls when validating boundary security in management consoles. You should test whenever modifying backend admin endpoints to ensure low-privilege accounts cannot exploit vertical privilege escalation risks.