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Mandatory Access Control (MAC) is a security approach where an administrator sets access controls and the system enforces them, preventing users from overriding them. It is important for high-security systems and can be useful in preventing unauthorized activities and unintentional changes. It contrasts with discretionary access control, where users can override security settings.
Mandatory Access Control (MAC) is an approach to system security in which an administrator sets access controls and the system enforces them, without allowing users to override the security settings. This can be a more aggressive way to control access to a system and can be used in situations where computers contain confidential or potentially compromising data. The system decides which users, processes and devices should have access to which areas and applies it at all levels.
A system administrator can use pre-set mandatory access control guidelines based on user profiles and can also add measures in the system. This allows administrators to streamline access within a system. Once these settings are implemented, only the administrator can override them. The system cannot grant access to an entity without proper permission, even if it tries to override the setting. This covers not only computer users, but also all devices and processes connected to the system.
This contrasts with another approach, known as discretionary access control. In this model, users can override security settings; for example, a user could tell a directory to show all hidden files and it should. This is less secure, as users can decide how much access they should have. If they encounter access barriers, they can simply bypass them, rather than being pushed back from an area they shouldn’t be in, as is the case with mandatory access control.
For a high security system, mandatory access control is very important. Such systems rely on controls to maintain the security and confidentiality of information. Government agencies, financial firms, and other organizations that maintain complex and personal data need to keep it secure. Sometimes this is mandated by law and these organizations need to be able to provide evidence of access controls and other measures to protect their data when inspectors and auditors require it.
In other settings, mandatory access control may not be required, but it can be useful. Administrators can use it to keep users out of places they don’t need to be and to prevent problems such as unintentional changes to settings by users who are unaware of the computer system. In a situation where multiple people use a single computer terminal, mandatory access control can prevent unauthorized activities. It can also limit opportunities to send data to peripheral devices or processes in an attempt to circumvent security measures.
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