Cloud governance is the practice of managing and monitoring the use of cloud services within an organization. One of the key aspects of cloud governance is authorization management, which involves controlling access to cloud resources and ensuring that only authorized individuals can use them. In this blog post, we'll take a look at different authorization management methods in cloud governance and compare them to help you choose the right approach for your organization.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Role-based access control (RBAC) is a common authorization management method used in cloud governance. RBAC involves defining roles for different users within an organization and assigning permissions to those roles. This method ensures that users only have access to the resources they need to perform their tasks.
RBAC has several benefits which include:
- It is easy to implement and manage.
- It helps ensure compliance with security policies.
- It provides a granular level of control over access.
However, RBAC also has some limitations:
- It can be difficult to manage for large organizations with complex access requirements.
- It can be time-consuming to set up and maintain.
- It requires a well-defined organizational structure and clear job roles.
Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) is an authorization method that uses user attributes to define access policies. ABAC policies are defined based on attribute values, such as job title, location, or role. This method provides a dynamic way of managing access and ensures that users have access to the resources they need based on their current attributes.
ABAC has several benefits which include:
- It is more flexible than RBAC because it can handle complex access scenarios.
- It is a more dynamic method, which means it can better adapt to changes in organizational policies.
- It can help simplify access management for large organizations.
However, ABAC also has some limitations:
- It can be more challenging to set up than RBAC.
- It requires a well-defined set of user attributes and clear attribute values.
Comparison
| Method | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| RBAC | Easy to implement and manage | Can be difficult to manage for complex access requirements |
| Helps ensure compliance with security policies | Can be time-consuming to set up and maintain | |
| Granular control over access | Requires a well-defined organizational structure | |
| ABAC | Flexible for handling complex scenarios | More challenging to set up than RBAC |
| Adapts better to changes in policies | Requires a well-defined set of user attributes | |
| Simplifies access management for large organizations |
Conclusion
Choosing the right authorization management method for your organization requires careful consideration of your organization's structure and access requirements. RBAC is a good choice for organizations with well-defined job roles and access requirements, while ABAC is better suited for complex access scenarios and organizations with a dynamic structure.
References:
- “What is Cloud Governance?,” BMC Blogs, September 02, 2020. https://www.bmc.com/blogs/cloud-governance/.
- A. Ramachandran, “Comparing Role Based Access Control vs Attribute Based,” GalaxE.Solutions, July 05, 2019. https://galaxE.com/comparing-role-based-access-control-vs-attribute-based/.