Managing Controlled Access to Confidential Data

Accessing confidential data is a major challenge for many companies. Information that is sensitive could be linked to customer trust. This is why it is so important to safeguard against misuse. Information that could identify an individual needs to be controlled by policies that prevent identity fraud, the compromise of systems or accounts, and other serious consequences. To avoid these risks and to limit the possibility of harm of data breaches, access to sensitive information should be restricted based on roles-based authorization.

There are a myriad of options that allow access to sensitive information. The simplest model, discretionary access control (DAC) permits the owner or administrator to control who is able to access files they own and what actions those authorized subjects can take on them. This model is the default in the majority of Windows, macOS, and UNIX file systems.

Role-based access control is a more durable and secure method. This model ties privileges with my website a person’s job requirements. It also incorporates crucial security principles, including the separation of privileges and the principle of minimum privilege.

Fine-grained access control is more advanced than RBAC by giving administrators the ability to grant access rights based on an individual’s identity. It relies on a combination of things you know, such as an account number or password; something you own such as an access card, keys or devices that generate codes; and something you’re or have, such as a fingerprint, iris scan, or voice print. This allows you to have greater the control of your information and eliminates many of the common issues with authorization, such as uncontrolled access by former employees and access to sensitive data via third-party applications.