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Hierarchy of Roles & Permissions

Last updated: Apr 24, 2026View as Markdown

import { Card, CardGrid } from ‘@astrojs/starlight/components’;

Poor permission configuration is the primary cause behind over 80% of server compromise incidents (nuking). This module defines the architectural hierarchy necessary to bulletproof your server.

Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP)

Section titled “Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP)”

Golden Rule: Grant each staff member only the exact permissions strictly required to execute their current duties—nothing more.

Critical Permissions (Extreme Risk 🔴)

Section titled “Critical Permissions (Extreme Risk 🔴)”

These permissions must NEVER be assigned to daily operational roles (such as Junior Mods or Trials). Restrict them exclusively to Ownership and verified Administrators with mandatory 2FA:

  • Administrator: Grants absolute permissions bypassing all channel overrides and protections.
  • Manage Server: Allows modifying server name, invites, adding unvetted bots, and altering security settings.
  • Manage Roles: An account with this permission can manipulate roles beneath them to escalate privileges.
  • Manage Webhooks: A frequent vector used to spoof announcements and blast phishing links.
  • Mention @everyone and @here: Must be explicitly disabled across all routine channels.

Visual Role Hierarchy

Section titled “Visual Role Hierarchy”

In Discord, vertical position in the role list determines operational authority:

[▲ Highest]
 👑 Server Owner (Root ownership)
 🛡️ Administrator / Security (System architects)
 🎖️ Staff Supervisor (Operational leaders)
 ⚔️ Senior Moderator (Escalated sanctions & appeals)
 🗡️ Junior Moderator (Chat containment & timeouts)
 🤖 Moderation Bots (Strategically positioned)
 🌟 VIP / Server Booster (Cosmetic privileges)
 👥 Verified Member (Default community access)
 ⚪ @everyone (Zero write access prior to screening)
[▼ Lowest]