How can you use the principle of least privilege to protect your object-oriented design?

1 Step 1: Identify the actors and roles

The first step is to identify the actors and roles involved in your system. An actor is any entity that interacts with your system, such as a user, a service, or a device. A role is a set of permissions or responsibilities assigned to an actor, such as an administrator, a customer, or a guest. You should define the actors and roles clearly and explicitly, and avoid using generic or ambiguous terms. For example, instead of using "user", you should use "student", "teacher", or "parent" depending on the context.

2 Step 2: Define the objects and methods

The second step is to define the objects and methods that make up your system. An object is a data structure that encapsulates some state and behavior, such as a class, a struct, or an interface. A method is a function that operates on an object or its data, such as a constructor, a getter, or a setter. You should design your objects and methods according to the principles of abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism, and use descriptive and consistent names. For example, instead of using "x", you should use "balance", "name", or "age" depending on the context.

3 Step 3: Assign the access levels and modifiers

The third step is to assign the access levels and modifiers that control the visibility and accessibility of your objects and methods. An access level is a keyword that specifies who can access an object or a method, such as public, private, protected, or internal. A modifier is a keyword that modifies the behavior or characteristics of an object or a method, such as static, final, abstract, or virtual. You should use the lowest access level and the most restrictive modifier that meets your requirements, and avoid exposing unnecessary or sensitive information. For example, instead of using public int age , you should use private int age and public int getAge() depending on the context.

4 Step 4: Implement the authentication and authorization

The fourth step is to implement the authentication and authorization mechanisms that enforce the PLP in your system. Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of an actor, such as using a username and password, a token, or a biometric. Authorization is the process of granting or denying access to an object or a method based on the role of an actor, such as using a role-based access control (RBAC) system, an access control list (ACL), or a policy. You should use secure and standard methods for authentication and authorization, and avoid hard-coding or storing credentials or permissions in your code. For example, instead of using if (user == "admin") , you should use if (user.hasRole("admin")) depending on the context.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?