In network security, the stance on managing and assessing risk can vary widely depending on the security policies of an organization.

A "Permissive" stance, often referred to as a default permit approach, allows all traffic unless it has been specifically blocked. This approach can be easier to manage from a usability standpoint but is less secure as it potentially allows unwanted or malicious traffic unless explicitly filtered.

This is in contrast to a more restrictive policy, which denies all traffic unless it has been explicitly permitted, typically seen in more secure environments.

References

"Network Security Basics," by Cisco Systems.

"Understanding Firewall Policies," by Fortinet.