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ABAC (Attribute-Based Access Control)

Tech Security Academy

Overview Definition Components Implementation Use Cases

ABAC

/ˌeɪ.biː.eɪˈsiː/
Access Control Model Security Framework

Definition: Attribute-Based Access Control is a security model that evaluates attributes (characteristics) of users, resources, actions, and environment to make access decisions.

Origin: Evolved from RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) to address more complex authorization requirements in modern systems.

📚 Core Concepts

Attribute-Based

Decisions based on multiple attributes rather than just roles

ABAC evaluates department, clearance level, and location.
Unlike RBAC which only considers job roles.
Multi-dimensional

Dynamic Authorization

Real-time evaluation of access requests

Access to files may be granted during business hours but denied after hours.
Context-aware

Fine-Grained Control

Precise permission management

"Allow edit access only to documents created by the user in the last 7 days."
Granular

ABAC's core advantage is its flexibility - policies can adapt to complex, changing requirements without restructuring the entire permission system.

🔄 ABAC vs RBAC

ABAC

Evaluates multiple attributes (role, department, location, time)

Dynamic, context-aware decisions

Complex to implement but highly flexible

RBAC

Based solely on job roles

Static permission assignments

Simpler but less adaptable

🔊 Key Components

Subject Attributes

User characteristics

Role, department, security clearance, location

Resource Attributes

Object characteristics

Classification, owner, sensitivity, creation date

Policy Elements:

Implementation Requirements

  • Comprehensive attribute collection
  • Policy administration tools
  • Policy enforcement points
  • Audit and logging capabilities

🎯 Implementation Patterns

Policy-Based

Centralized policy management

XACML (eXtensible Access Control Markup Language) standard for defining ABAC policies.
Standardized

Attribute Stores

Central repositories for attributes

LDAP directories or specialized attribute services provide user/resource attributes to PDP.
Centralized

Hybrid Approaches

Combining ABAC with other models

Using RBAC for basic permissions and ABAC for exceptions or special cases.
Practical

Implementation Steps

1. Identify required attributes
2. Define access control policies
3. Implement policy decision point
4. Deploy policy enforcement points

⚠️ Common Challenges

Implementation Pitfalls:

Overly complex policies that become unmanageable

Solution: Start with critical use cases and expand gradually

Inconsistent attribute values across systems

Solution: Establish authoritative sources for each attribute

✍️ Practical Use Cases

Healthcare Example

Policy: "Doctors can access patient records only for their own department and only during their shifts."

Attributes evaluated:
- User role = doctor
- User department = cardiology
- Current time = within shift hours
- Record department = cardiology

Financial Services

Policy: "Traders can execute transactions up to $1M if market is open, their desk is authorized for the instrument, and the trade complies with risk limits."

Dynamic attributes checked:
- Current market status
- Trader's authorization level
- Portfolio risk exposure
- Transaction amount

Government Systems

Policy: "Users with Top Secret clearance can access documents classified up to Top Secret when logged in from secure facilities using approved devices."

Multi-factor evaluation:
- User clearance level
- Document classification
- Physical location
- Device security status
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