What Is Access Control?
Access control, in this context, is the process of managing the people and devices that want to engage with your system to prevent malicious activities. Leaving your data open and accessible by all is a recipe for disaster. Not only could it be altered, but it could also be stolen.
Access control enables you to track users, verify their identity and determine their motives for accessing your data. For instance, when you implement an access control system, a cybercriminal attempting to break into your system will meet a wall. They’ll have to verify that they are who they claim to be, and then your system will evaluate the authenticity of their claims. If your access control system suspects any foul play, it would prevent what would have been a cyberattack.
How Does Access Control Work?
There are two major components of access control—authentication and authorization.
Playing the role of a lie detector, authentication is the process of verifying that a user is who they claim to be by evaluating their device or network connection. Having stored the user’s credentials in your database previously, your system compares the credentials the user enters with the ones in its database to confirm if they are a match. If both credentials don’t match, the access control system blocks the user from gaining entry.
A user ID and password are basic information for authentication. In the form of single-factor authentication, the user ID and password must match the records in the system before the user gains access. Since cybercriminals have devised ways of bypassing single-factor authentication with password-hacking techniques such as brute force, implementing multi-factor authentication is key to strengthening your access control system.
Authorization is the process of determining access rights and privileges. It highlights the degree to which a user can access your network. Authorization works in line with your access policies. It enables your access control system to either approve or deny users access to your network based on the authenticity of their credentials and activities.