What is attribute-based permissioning and how does it work?

Answered on : 2024-01-23

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What is attribute-based access control (ABAC)? - SailPoint

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What Is Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)?

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Attribute-based access control

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Attribute-based permissioning, also known as Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC), is an authorization model that evaluates attributes or characteristics of users, resources, and the context of access requests to determine permissions. Unlike traditional role-based access control (RBAC), which relies on predefined roles, ABAC focuses on the attributes themselves.

Here's how ABAC works:

1. **Attributes**: Attributes are characteristics associated with users, resources, and the environment. These can include user roles, department, location, time, and more.

2. **Policy Evaluation**: ABAC evaluates access requests based on a set of policies that define the relationships between attributes. These policies specify under what conditions access should be granted or denied.

3. **Dynamic Authorization**: ABAC allows for dynamic and fine-grained control over access permissions. It considers the attributes in real-time to make access decisions.

4. **Customization**: ABAC is highly adaptable and customizable, allowing organizations to define their own attribute-based policies to meet specific security and compliance requirements.

ABAC provides granular control, enhancing security while minimizing the risk of exposure to sensitive data. It's a flexible approach to access control that can be especially valuable in complex and dynamic environments[1][2].