Authorization

Authorization, in the context of computer security and information systems, is the process of granting or denying rights and privileges to a user, program, or process to access resources in a system. It is a critical component of access control and is often closely linked with authentication. While authentication verifies the identity of a user or entity, authorization determines what an authenticated user or entity is allowed to do.

Authorization involves defining and enforcing policies that determine what actions users can perform on a system, such as read, write, delete, or execute permissions on files, databases, or applications.

In many systems, authorization is managed through Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)|RBAC, where permissions are assigned based on roles within an organization, and users are granted roles that provide appropriate access. Authorization involves managing the privileges assigned to users or groups, ensuring they have the necessary access to perform their roles efficiently but not more than what is required.

This security principle dictates that users and programs should have the minimum levels of access - or permissions - necessary to perform their tasks. This minimizes the risk of unauthorized access. Authorization is enforced through policies set by the system or network administrators. These policies are implemented and enforced through security mechanisms in the operating system, applications, or in the network.

Examples of authorization:

• A user attempting to access a file may be authenticated through a username and password but can only read or modify the file if their role or user account has been granted those specific permissions.
• In an enterprise setting, an employee in the finance department may have access to financial software and documents that are not accessible to someone in the marketing department.
• In a web application, a user may be authenticated to log in but will only be authorized to access certain features or data based on their user type or subscription level.