Break glass access procedures are the last line of defense when normal controls fail. They are the controlled override that gives an authorized person temporary access to critical systems or sensitive records during emergencies. Without strict rules, they risk becoming a breach-in-waiting. With the right process, they protect both system uptime and the data subject rights guaranteed by law.
A clear break glass policy starts with defining the exact conditions when it can be used. This means tying access triggers to true emergencies: a security incident, a life-safety risk, or a system outage blocking lawful data access. Every use must be recorded, with the identity of the person accessing and the precise data touched logged in real time. These records are not optional—they are essential for security audits and for proving compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA that enforce data subject rights.
Data subject rights require that individuals can see, correct, restrict, or delete their personal data. Break glass access cannot override these rights. Even in urgent situations, access must be minimal and mission-specific. The best systems enforce automatic expiry of elevated access, return accounts to their standard role, and send alerts to compliance officers the moment break glass mode is triggered.