The Importance of Access Control
Access control is a cornerstone of a cybersecurity program. Without the ability to limit access to authorized users, an organization can’t protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of its assets.
Effective access control can help an organization to:
- Minimize security risks and incidents.
- Prevent data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- Comply with compliance requirements and internal security policies.
How Access Control Works
Access management involves three main components. The first stage in the process is validating the user’s identity. This authentication process can be performed using various authentication factors such as a username and password, biometrics, or possession of a particular device. Organizations can enhance the security of their authentication system by implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires two or more distinct factors to authenticate a user’s identity.
After authentication is authorized, this is when the access control system determines whether the user has the right to access the resource. A user may be assigned certain privileges, or a resource may have an allowlist or blocklist specifying who can and can’t access the resource.
After authentication and authorization is complete, the user’s identity and right to use the resource are confirmed. At this point, they are granted access; however, the system may continue to monitor their activities. This process — called Auditing — is the third A in the AAA of identity and access management (IAM).
Types of Access Control
Access control can be implemented using a few different schemes. Some of the most commonly used include:
- Mandatory Access Control (MAC): MAC is an access control system where access controls and permissions are centrally defined. Resources are given classification levels (Top Secret, Secret, etc.) and users are assigned clearances that define the classification levels they are permitted to access.
- Discretionary Access Control (DAC): DAC allows users to define access controls for their resources. This is the model used by default by OSs such as Windows or Linux.
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): RBAC systems define roles and assign permissions to a role based on their duties. Users can then be assigned roles and receive the permissions needed to do their jobs.
- Rule-Based Access Control: Rule-based access control manages access to resources based on rules defined by the administrator. This allows very granular control over access since the administrator can define the exact combination of requirements for access.
- Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC): ABAC assigns attributes to users’ requests based on their role in the organization and environmental conditions. Resources then have sets of rules defining the combinations of attributes needed for access.
Access Control Policy
An access control policy is a set of general requirements defining how the organization will implement access control. Some elements of an access control policy include:
- Purpose: Defines the goals of the access control policy, including the assets being protected and their security requirements.
- Access Control Model: Defines whether the system will use MAC, DAC, RBAC, or ABAC to manage access.
- Security Enforcement: Specifies the tools and methods that will be used to implement and enforce access control policies.
- Implementation Guides: Provides guidance and best practices for implementing the organization’s access control policy.
Access Control Best Practices
Access control is essential to effective cybersecurity. Some best practices for implementing robust access control include:
- Implement Least Privilege: The principle of least privilege (POLP) states that users, applications, etc. should only have the permissions needed for their role. Implementing POLP reduces the risk of privilege abuse or a compromised user account.
- No Shared Accounts: Every user should have their account on corporate systems, applications, etc. This is essential for controlling access to corporate resources, demonstrating regulatory compliance, and investigating after a security incident has occurred.
- Strong Authentication: User authentication is essential to managing access to corporate resources. Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) and strong password policies reduces the risk of a compromised account.
- Zero Trust: A zero trust security policy states that every access request should be evaluated individually. This enables organizations to implement granular access control for all applications and monitor and manage every access request.
Secure Access Control with Check Point
Implementing effective access control can be difficult, especially in cloud environments. To learn more about securing your cloud environments and implementing access control in the cloud, sign up for a free demo of Check Point’s CloudGuard Dome9.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) enables organizations to implement consistent access management across their entire network ecosystem. Harmony SASE — Check Point’s SASE solution — provides intuitive access management and enterprise-grade threat prevention. Learn more about how Harmony Connect can enhance your organization’s access management and cybersecurity with a free demo today.
Feedback