Unified Access Control: An Informal Description

摘要

The paper constitutes an informal description of a unified approach to access control in Automated Information Systems. The authors propose that Unified Access Control can lead to secure systems of greater utility. The paper provides a general, informal description for designing access controls that will satisfy a wide range of security policies. An understanding of the similarities, differences, strengths, and weaknesses of existing access control designs makes it possible to improve the designs and extend the design concepts to solve larger problems. Traditional designs, such as Mandatory Access Control and Discretionary Access Control, are but two possible points in a broad design space of access controls. Examples of alternative designs are presented.