The Difference Between Identity and Access

Source: learn.snowflake.com

<aside> <img src="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/2ba07339-dd53-47ac-b00d-c83e7722c42d/b39e600d-15ce-44a6-b5ce-eb6490d84e29/Colorful_Illustrative_Young_Male_Avatar_(1).png" alt="https://prod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/2ba07339-dd53-47ac-b00d-c83e7722c42d/b39e600d-15ce-44a6-b5ce-eb6490d84e29/Colorful_Illustrative_Young_Male_Avatar_(1).png" width="40px" /> Key take points:

• If you can prove your identity, that's called being authenticated.
• If you can prove you have a right to access something, that's called being authorized. </aside>

It seems that people mix these 2 processes, when in reality they were 2 different processes. As software has moved to the Internet, or cloud, security technologies have become more sophisticated, and these two steps have become more separate.

Source: learn.snowflake.com

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is a security model that regulates access to computer systems or network resources based on roles assigned to individual users within an organization. In RBAC, permissions are associated with roles, and users are assigned specific roles based on their job responsibilities. This approach simplifies access management by grouping users with similar tasks and responsibilities under predefined roles, making it easier to control and manage permissions.

Key components of Role-Based Access Control include:

1. Roles: Roles represent a collection of permissions that are relevant to a specific job function or position within an organization. For example, roles could be "Admin," "Manager," or "User."
2. Permissions: Permissions are specific actions or operations that a user is allowed to perform within a system. These permissions are associated with roles.
3. Users: Users are individuals within the organization who are assigned specific roles based on their job responsibilities. Each user is granted the permissions associated with their assigned role.
4. Access Control Policies: Access control policies define the rules and conditions under which users are granted or denied access to specific resources based on their roles.

The benefits of Role-Based Access Control include:

• Simplified Administration: RBAC simplifies the management of access permissions by grouping users into roles. This makes it easier to assign and revoke permissions based on job roles rather than managing individual user permissions.
• Scalability: As organizations grow, managing individual user permissions becomes complex. RBAC provides a scalable solution by allowing administrators to add or remove users from roles, rather than adjusting permissions for each user individually.
• Enhanced Security: RBAC enhances security by ensuring that users only have the necessary permissions to perform their job functions. Unauthorized access to sensitive information is minimized.