Access control is the systematic process of determining and enforcing which users have the privileges to access specific resources within computer systems. Technically, access control encompasses three core components: Authentication, Authorization, and Auditing.
Authentication involves verifying the identity of users attempting to gain system access. Methods used for authentication often include credentials such as user IDs and passwords, biometric factors like fingerprints or facial recognition, or possession-based mechanisms such as client certificates stored on user devices.
Authorization defines the scope of resources and actions that authenticated users can access. Authorization is typically implemented through Access Control Lists (ACLs) or role-based permission models configured within a system or network component.
Auditing consists of systematically recording authentication and authorization events for later review and analysis. Audit logs document user access attempts and permit administrators to track and investigate activities for security compliance and investigation purposes.
Effective access control mechanisms are critical for system security, especially in environments such as externally accessible web applications and services. These systems are particularly vulnerable to unauthorized access attempts from malicious actors. However, in many web architectures, authentication, authorization, and auditing are handled separately by distinct web servers or application modules, often leading to inconsistencies and weakened security due to lack of centralized policy management.
Solutions such as F5 BIG-IP Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) help to centralize and strengthen access control management, ensuring robust, consistent application security and policy enforcement across networked architectures.