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Network Security Principles - Authorization

By IncludeHelp Last updated : July 27, 2024

What is Authorization?

Authorization is the process of granting or denying specific permissions to users based on their roles or identities. It determines what an authenticated user is allowed to do. After a user is authenticated (proving who they are), authorization controls what they can access and what actions they can perform within a network or system.

For example, you have a company with different departments: HR, Finance, and IT. An HR employee should have access to employee records but not to financial data. Authorization ensures that HR employees can only access the information relevant to their role.

Why is Authorization Important in Network Security?

Authorization is important for several reasons:

1. It ensures that only authorized users can access sensitive information, which helps in protecting against data breaches.
2. Authorization helps in maintaining data integrity by allowing only permitted users to modify data.
3. It supports regulatory compliance, which ensures that access to data meets legal and industry standards.
4. It reduces the risk of internal threats by limiting access based on roles and responsibilities.
5. It enhances overall system security by preventing unauthorized access to critical resources.
6. It facilitates the audit and tracking of user activities. This makes it easier to identify and address security incidents.
7. It reduces the risk of accidental data leaks by restricting access to necessary personnel only.
8. It promotes efficient access management by defining clear access controls and permissions.
9. It is crucial to support business continuity by ensuring that access to resources is controlled and managed effectively.
10. It Enhances user accountability, as actions can be traced back to specific authorized individuals.

Types of Authorization

There are mainly three types of authorization:

1. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

In this type of authorisation, users are assigned roles, and each role has predefined permissions.

Example: An IT admin has full access to the network, while a regular employee has limited access.

2. Discretionary Access Control (DAC)

In this type of authorization, the resource owner decides who has access to the resource.

Example: A project manager can share a document with specific team members.

3. Mandatory Access Control (MAC)

In this type of authorization, access permissions are regulated by a central authority based on various criteria.

Example: Government agencies often use MAC to classify and restrict access to information based on security clearance levels.

Common Authorization Practices in Network Security

In network security, the following are the common authorization practices:

• Assign roles to users and define permissions based on these roles (Role-Based Access Control).
• Use Access Control Lists (ACLs) to specify which users or systems can access particular resources.
• Grant users the minimum level of access required to perform their duties (Principle of Least Privilege).
• Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security before granting access.
• Conduct frequent audits and continuously monitor access logs to detect and respond to unauthorized access attempts.