Data Access Control

A method for controlling employee access to files in an organization is data access control. Utilizing the principle of least privilege (POLP), which entails identifying and limiting what data people have access to based on their positions within the business, is part of this process.

There are several types of Data Access Control:

• Mandatory access control (MAC)
  • All employees' access privileges are distributed by a central authority. Government agencies employ the MAC approach to secure highly sensitive information because it offers a high level of data protection but it is challenging to set up and use, hence it is typically used in conjunction with other access models like discretionary access control (DAC).
• Discretionary access control (DAC)
  • The data owner determines who is permitted access to their data under a DAC paradigm. This model is more flexible and ideal for small to medium-sized businesses because the owner establishes the policies that define who is allowed access to the resource. The owner has total control over their files, making this arrangement the least restrictive. This paradigm is challenging to manage since there is no central authority; instead, each file's ACL must be reviewed for any discrepancies.
• Role-based access control (RBAC)
  • The RBAC model is the most popular control method since it fits the needs and roles of every person in the business. According to the requirements of a person's function in the organization, privileges are assigned using the principle of least privilege (POLP).

Benefit of Data Access Control

Access control is essential to prevent data from falling into the unauthorized people because organization keep records containing classified information that must be protected and setting up an access control system helps minimize the possibility of data leaks.