Privilege creep occurs when users accumulate access rights over time that they no longer need for their current role. The typical cause: when an employee changes departments, they receive new permissions while the old ones are not revoked. Over months and years, this adds up to a significant security risk, as a compromised account gains access to far more resources than necessary. Regular access reviews (at least annually) are the most effective countermeasure. Automate the reconciliation between roles and actual permissions through your IAM system.