Privilege escalation is a technique used in cybersecurity where an attacker gains elevated access rights within a system, application, or network, allowing them to perform actions that would typically be restricted. Privilege escalation is a critical part of the attack chain, as it enables threat actors to move from initial, low-level access to higher, more powerful privileges, ultimately gaining control over more sensitive data, functions, or systems.

There are two primary types of privilege escalation:

1. Vertical Privilege Escalation: In this scenario, an attacker moves from a lower level of access (like a standard user) to a higher level, such as administrator or root privileges. This allows them to make system-wide changes, access restricted files, or disable security mechanisms.

2. Horizontal Privilege Escalation: Here, an attacker remains at the same privilege level but accesses resources or data assigned to another user with similar access rights. This is common in multi-user applications or environments, where attackers may exploit vulnerabilities to access other users’ information or actions.

Attackers use various techniques to achieve privilege escalation, such as exploiting software vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, weak permissions, unpatched systems, and insecure credentials. Common methods include manipulating access control lists (ACLs), exploiting kernel vulnerabilities, abusing security misconfigurations, or using credential dumping tools to harvest higher-privilege account details.

Preventing privilege escalation requires maintaining strong access controls, regularly updating and patching systems, enforcing least-privilege principles, and closely monitoring for anomalous behavior. Detection tools and behavioral analysis can help identify unauthorized privilege elevation attempts, allowing security teams to respond promptly. Privilege escalation is a significant security concern because it often leads to deeper system compromise, making it a priority for security professionals to address.