Let’s face it. If you own a business, you have a lot of things to worry about. Managing employees and customers is just one aspect of running your business successfully. Another primary concern is how well-protected your data and systems are, especially regarding information security. An easy way to protect your company’s data is through access control systems. This blog post will discuss access control systems and how they benefit businesses differently.
Access Control at a Glance
Access control is a security measure restricting a user’s access to a resource. It limits access to a resource and controls whoever tries to infiltrate it. There are several types of access control systems, but in this article, we’ll focus on the main types:
1. Discretionary Access Control (DAC)
Discretionary Access Control is a form of access control based on the principle of least privilege. It allows users to access only the resources they need to perform their job. It thus reduces the risk of data breaches and other security incidents.
The concept of least privilege is simple: give users only what they require to complete their tasks. It guarantees that sensitive data won’t be as easily abused if it gets into the wrong hands as it could be if users had unfettered access privileges. When appropriately applied, DAC can significantly reduce your organization’s chances of unauthorized data access or theft.
DAC is a common form of access control because it’s quick and easy to implement in any environment. It is beneficial where multiple people are accessing sensitive information, and fast-moving businesses certainly fit this bill.
2. Role-Based Access Control System
RBAC is a system that uses a role-based approach to control access to resources. It does this by assigning users roles, which give them specific permissions for the resources they need to access. The RBAC model also uses groups of users, each with different roles and permissions. As a result, managing your security policy is easier because you don’t have many complex rules like DAC systems.
With RBAC, you can assign roles based on job functions or employee types, such as sales or marketing teams. In addition, you can create multiple levels within each group so that sure employees. They can only see specific information or perform limited tasks within applications such as SAP ERP, SharePoint, OneDrive, etc.
3. Policy-Based Access Control (PBAC)
Policy-based access control uses a security policy to grant access to resources. It means you can use PBAC to define the users and groups with access to your network and what they’re allowed to do once they’re there. For example, if your business sells products online, you could create a rule that says, “Anyone with an employee badge has access.” However, this would also mean that any visitor with one of these badges would gain access, which you may not want.
Instead of granting general blanket permissions for any employee or visitor with an employee badge, PBAC allows for more granular control over permissions. It uses different authentication methods and even specific user IDs and passwords for each person who needs them. For example, your IT department might issue temporary credentials when someone requests them via email.
Those credentials will expire after being used once, so they don’t need to reissue every time something changes within their designated period. Doing that, instead of allowing everyone equal privileges, lowers the risk level. Also, how often someone needs them and possibly removing those privileges once they are no longer required. As a result, you can ensure only those people who need something get it quickly without wasting too much time getting unnecessary approvals.
4. Mandatory Access Control (MAC)
Mandatory Access Control is a more secure access control system. It’s based on security labels, which an administrator assigns to the users and objects that need access to a system. The user’s clearance level determines what they can do on the design and what information they can see and access. MAC also follows the principle of least privilege. Users should only have access to the bare minimum required for their job responsibilities.
MAC is more secure than Discretionary Access Control because it enforces strict policies about how files and programs must be stored or accessed. Furthermore, users cannot alter these policies unless an administrator permits them. It prevents malicious behavior like deleting critical files or turning off security features to gain unauthorized access. MAC is also more secure than RBAC because it enforces a separation between roles within an organization.
5. Rule-Based Access Control System
Rule-based access control systems are a type of access control system where users are granted access to resources based on their roles. RBAC uses rules to determine the access of users to help. Often, RBAC is used in conjunction with other access control systems such as MAC, DAC, and RBAC.
In its simplest form, rule-based access control allows you to create or modify a list of rules that define what resources they can view and modify within your network infrastructure. For example, if you want all employees who work in Finance to be able to view financial reports but not change them, you can create a similar rule like that.
6. Attribute-Based Access Control System (ABAC)
Attribute-Based Access Control System is a type of access control system that uses attributes to determine the level of access to a resource. It is also known as role-based access control and is more advanced than RBAC, a more basic form of ABAC.
ABAC is an advanced version of RBAC because it allows for greater flexibility in determining what users can do on their first day at work. In other words, it will enable you to change your mind. For example, suppose you want someone who used to be an intern but now has become an employee with more responsibility or tasks. In that case, you can give them those new roles without having to provide them with new permissions every time they move up in rank within your company.
Access Control System Helps in Boosting Security
While access control systems are a part of your organization’s tech infrastructure, they help in boosting security as well as worker productivity at the same time. It is why you must understand all about them. You can use it for both security and efficiency purposes. They also ensure that only authorized personnel can enter or exit buildings, vehicles, and other facilities at specific times or under particular conditions in different case scenarios.
