Organizations who want to be sure that their user and customer data ends up in the right hands place high importance on data security. Industry and government regulations like HIPAA, PCI DSS, and CCPA outline strict policies and procedures that all companies must follow. Access control helps to keep this data secure. It includes identity authentication procedures and role-based access control.
Identity and Access Management
Whether it’s a physical or logical security issue, access control can limit who enters a space and when. A person must present credentials to gain entry — such as a card reader, intercom, or password-protected phone number. It can also involve security cameras, motion sensors, lockdown procedures, and other security measures. When people attempt to log in to digital data, the system authenticates their identity using various methods such as one-time passwords, pins, biometric scans, or other credentials. Once verified, the system permits them to access specific files or other resources.
Role-based access control (RBAC) is a standard method of assigning permissions to users within a company. It differs from the mandatory access control model (MAC) because it considers a person’s organizational role rather than their user account. It can help prevent accidental or malicious mistakes in granting access to sensitive information or systems. Regardless of which access control model is used, the principle ensures that only those who require access do so. Regular permissions audits can also minimize risks by significantly ensuring that users don’t have access to data they no longer need as roles change. It is an essential part of compliance and maintaining good cybersecurity practices.
Access Rights Management
Access management limits user access to systems, data files, and applications. The goal is to safeguard your data against human errors or evil intent. It doesn’t mean keeping all your data locked away, but it does mean ensuring that only the right people have the privileges to view, change or delete the most sensitive information. During regular business use, it’s easy for employees to accidentally or intentionally change or delete data that should not be changed or deleted. An effective access management system tracks and changes in real-time to minimize these mistakes.
The other key component of data security is authorization. Once a user is authenticated, they must be permitted to access your data and systems. Managing authorization can be difficult, especially in large organizations. Implementing role-based access control (RBAC) and other frameworks that limit access by roles with clearly defined business functions rather than individual identities is essential. Comprehensive access control tools should also integrate with widely-used authorization-related systems to give admins at-a-glance visibility of all permission relationships, including privileged accounts. It helps ensure compliance with regulatory standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. This type of monitoring is essential to help prevent insider threats and unauthorized access by hackers.
Access Control Software
An access control system protects data from cyber-attacks and theft by ensuring only authorized users can access the information. Access control systems are also essential for companies that allow remote work because they help prevent remote workers from accessing sensitive data and unauthorized resources. In addition, they ensure that sensitive or proprietary information isn’t left exposed on a computer or mobile device. Your access control system offers several security layers that will help prevent cyber-attacks and protect the sensitive data in your database.
In a physical context, access control systems can control who enters a building or secure room. For example, a stadium can use access control to limit the number of fans, media, and other visitors it will accept for safety reasons. A more common use of access control is in computer security. Access control restricts who can use a system or resource in this context. A standard model is Discretionary Access Control (DAC), where the data or system owner sets the rules for who can access it. Another popular model is Mandatory Access Control (MAC), which uses different levels of information security clearance to regulate system resources.
Access Control Services
Any organization that connects to the internet – that’s every business today, by definition – needs access control services to ensure that only authorized employees can access company information and data resources. Access control systems identify users based on verified login credentials, including usernames and passwords, PINs, security tokens, or biometric scans. In addition to preventing unauthorized access, these protocols can also grant different levels of permission based on a user’s authentication status. For example, suppose a former employee gets angry at the company and attempts to do damage. In that case, the system can automatically block his credentials from working so he cannot enter a database or gain access to confidential information. Physical access control systems that require people to present ID before a door opens prevent unauthorized entry to buildings, rooms, or data centers. They can even record a person’s movements in and out of a building to track where and when they went. The most common access control model is role-based, which attributes permissions to a person based on their job responsibilities. It helps to ensure that lower-level employees don’t have access to sensitive information and can limit the number of people with a say in allocating security privileges. But the granularity of this system makes it challenging for IT teams to manage, which can leave vulnerabilities that need to be continually monitored and plugged.
