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Access Management 101

Access Management 101

Get clear on your access management vocabulary, fast.

Get clear on your access management vocabulary, fast.

Opal Terms

Opal Terms

Access Policy

A policy is a rule that determines access.

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Opal Terms

API

An API, which stands for application programming interface, is how systems talk to one another.

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Opal Terms

Attribute

Attributes are fields that exist on an object that says something about it.

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Opal Terms

Permission Group

A group is a collection of users with a shared set of permissions.

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Opal Terms

Permissions

Permissions are the atomic building block of access. In a subject-object-verb structure of access, permissions are the verb of access.

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Opal Terms

Resources

A resource is a fundamental part of the access vocabulary. In a subject-object-verb structure of access, a resource is the object being accessed.

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Opal Terms

Roles

A role is simply a collection of permissions. If a user assumes a role, they can take any of the actions associated with those permissions.

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Opal Terms

Subject-Object-Verb Model of Access

It makes sense to think of access in a subject-object-verb model.

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Opal Terms

Tag

Tags are similar to attributes, but they are less structured.

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Types of Access

Types of Access

Attribute Based Access Control (ABAC)

Attribute Based Access Control, or ABAC, is a type of authorization based on attributes defined for a user.

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Types of Access

Context-Based Access Management

Context based access management uses contextual information, such as location, time, device type, and user behavior, to determine whether to grant access to a resource or not.

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Types of Access

Group Based Access Control (GBAC)

Group Based Access Control, or GBAC, is a form of authorization based on groups defined for a user.

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Types of Access

Least Privilege

Least privilege is a principle in access management that states that users should be granted only the minimum level of access required to perform their job functions or tasks. This limits user access to resources and reduces the risk of accidental or intentional misuse or exposure of sensitive data.

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Types of Access

Role Based Access Control (RBAC)

Role Based Access Control, or RBAC, is one type of authorization based on roles defined for a user.

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Types of Access

Session-Based Access Management

Session-based access management is a form of access control that grants temporary access to users for a specific session, instead of providing permanent access through static credentials.

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Access Management

Access Management

Birthright Access

Birthright access is a type of access management that grants users access to all resources, systems, and applications within an organization by default, based on their role or job title

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Access Management

Breakglass Access

Reserved for emergencies, breakglass access allows authorized employees to bypass normal access controls to gain immediate access to critical systems

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Access Management

Identity Governance Administration

Identity governance administration (IGA) is the process of managing user identities and permissions within an organization.

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Access Management

Just-in-Time Access

Just-in-time access (JIT access) allows users to gain access to resources on an as-needed basis, for a limited time, and only for the specific task or function they need to perform.

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Access Management

On-Call Access Management

On-Call access management is about applying the principle of least privilege during on-call schedules, ensuring that the right people have the right level of access for the right amount of time.

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Access Management

Privileged Access Management

Privileged access management (PAM) is the process of managing and monitoring access to critical systems and resources by privileged users, such as system administrators

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Access Management

User Access Review

User access review is the process of verifying that employees, contractors, and other personnel have access only to the information and resources they need to perform their job functions.

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AuthN & AuthZ

AuthN & AuthZ

Authentication (AuthN)

Authentication answers the question: Who am I?

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AuthN & AuthZ

Authorization (AuthZ)

Authorization answers the question: What can I do?

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SAML & SCIM

SAML & SCIM

SAML

SAML is primarily used for single sign-on (SSO) authentication between applications or systems. It is a standard for exchanging authentication data between an identity provider (such as Okta or Azure AD) and a service provider (such as AWS or Salesforce)).

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SAML & SCIM

SCIM

SCIM is a standard for automating user provisioning. It is used to manage user identities across multiple systems and domains, ensuring that user data is consistent across different platforms.

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Ready to see how Opal can help you achieve and maintain least privilege access?

Ready to see how Opal can help you achieve and maintain least privilege access?

Ready to see how Opal can help you achieve and maintain least privilege access?