What Is Break-Glass Access?
Break-glass access is a controlled emergency mechanism that lets an operator obtain elevated privileges when normal approval paths are too slow during an incident. It is intentionally hard to invoke, fully logged, and usually triggers alerts and a mandatory after-the-fact review. The name evokes breaking glass to reach an emergency switch.
Why it matters
Rigid access controls can block legitimate emergency response, so a sanctioned escape hatch is needed. Making it noisy and audited ensures it is reserved for true emergencies, not convenience.
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