A method of operating a computing system to facilitate temporary escalation of access privileges for a control program associated with a machine system in an industrial automation environment, wherein the method is performed by a computing system and an administrator computing system and comprises: receiving, by the computing system, a request from a user for a temporary access level increase to utilize protected functions of the control program, wherein, either prior to or concurrently with requesting the temporary access level increase, the user accesses the machine system by entering the user's previously-assigned username and password in order to identify the user to the system and receive the standard access privileges afforded to the user; generating, by the computing system, an encrypted string comprising a temporary password authorized to access the protected functions of the control program; providing, by the computing system, the encrypted string to the user, wherein the user provides the encrypted string to an administrator and, if the administrator approves of the access level increase request by the user, the administrator authenticates the user for the temporary access level increase, decrypts the temporary password using the administrator computing system, having a software tool installed thereon, configured to decrypt the encrypted string for providing the temporary password to the user, and provides the temporary password to the user; and receiving, by the computing system, from the user a login request with the temporary password authorized to access the protected functions of the control program, and responsively granting the temporary access level increase to allow the user to utilize the protected functions of the control program, wherein the temporary password is only valid for a single use or for at least one of a predetermined number of uses and a predetermined time period. receiving, by the computing system, a request from a user for a temporary access level increase to utilize protected functions of the control program, wherein, either prior to or concurrently with requesting the temporary access level increase, the user accesses the machine system by entering the user's previously-assigned username and password in order to identify the user to the system and receive the standard access privileges afforded to the user; generating, by the computing system, an encrypted string comprising a temporary password authorized to access the protected functions of the control program; providing, by the computing system, the encrypted string to the user, wherein the user provides the encrypted string to an administrator and, if the administrator approves of the access level increase request by the user, the administrator authenticates the user for the temporary access level increase, decrypts the temporary password using the administrator computing system, having a software tool installed thereon, configured to decrypt the encrypted string for providing the temporary password to the user, and provides the temporary password to the user; and receiving, by the computing system, from the user a login request with the temporary password authorized to access the protected functions of the control program, and responsively granting the temporary access level increase to allow the user to utilize the protected functions of the control program, wherein the temporary password is only valid for a single use or for at least one of a predetermined number of uses and a predetermined time period.