As you doubtlessly know, network and data security are absolutely crucial aspects of any organization’s overall IT planning. When it comes to implementing policies and procedures, there are a few different ways to ensure your data and network as a whole are safe and secure. One such measure is the implementation of access controls. More specifically, rule-based and role-based access controls (RBAC). These methods allow your organization to restrict and manage data access according to a person’s situation, rather than at the file level. Today, we’re going to narrow in on rule-based access control; more specifically, what it is, why it’s important, and some of the benefits it has to offer.
Cybercrime is on the Rise! Click Here to See Cybersecurity Stats.
Rule based access control allows the system owners to personalize the type of access a user has based on what his/her role is within the organization. Users can be grouped into roles based on their responsibilities within an organization as this generally determines their system access needs. Access is then granted to each user based on the access requirements established for each role. If strict access requirements are set out for each role, access management becomes much easier to manage.
In today’s world of on-demand availability, access control is very important. It should be installed and set up to have no interference with user behavior while also proving the secure controls businesses need.
Here are some of the benefits of rule-based access control:
- Reduces administrative and IT support work.
- Improve safety and security.
- Improve compliance.
- Granular visibility.
- Users can only access what they need.
- Increase bandwidth.
So, why is rule-based access control important? Within some organizations—particularly startups and SMBs—it’s not uncommon for users to wear multiple hats and have multiple responsibilities: as a result, they need access to a variety of sometimes unrelated information without sacrificing overall security.
Rule-based access control allows you to personalize your business’ network access.
In these situations, the roles and rules sometimes become somewhat lackadaisical or may overlap. With rule-based access, you can ensure that restrictions and allowances are in place and that your data will only be accessible to the appropriate people in the appropriate, approved situations.
In rule-based access control, you focus on the rules associated with the data’s access or restrictions. Such rules may be parameters, such as allowing access only from certain IP addresses, denying access from other IP addresses, or something more specific. In more specific instances, access from IP addresses may be allowed unless it comes through a certain port (such as the port used for FTP access). These types of specificities prevent cybercriminals from accessing your information even if they do find a way into the network. Rule-based access can also be implemented on a file or system level to, for example, restrict data access only to business hours.
Rule-based access relies on users being logged into a particular network or application so credentials can be verified. These rules may be applied to more broad and overreaching scenarios, from allowing and denying network traffic during specific times rather than simply from specific groups of users. In a variety of situations, rule-based access controls are exactly what your network needs to keep your critical data and documents safe from bad actors. If you need help getting your rule-based access control systems set up, then the Innovative Integration team is armed with the knowledge and expertise you need.
