Systems Security Certified Practitioner – SSCP – Question0120

Which access control model enables the OWNER of the resource to specify what subjects can access specific resources based on their identity?

A.
Discretionary Access Control
B. Mandatory Access Control
C. Sensitive Access Control
D. Role-based Access Control

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

Data owners decide who has access to resources based only on the identity of the person accessing the resource.
The following answers are incorrect :
Mandatory Access Control : users and data owners do not have as much freedom to determine who can access files. The operating system makes the final decision and can override the users’ wishes and access decisions are based on security labels.
Sensitive Access Control : There is no such access control in the context of the above question. Role-based Access Control : uses a centrally administered set of controls to determine how subjects and objects interact , also called as non discretionary access control.
In a mandatory access control (MAC) model, users and data owners do not have as much freedom to determine who can access files. The operating system makes the final decision and can override the users’ wishes. This model is much more structured and strict and is based on a security label system. Users are given a security clearance (secret, top secret, confidential, and so on), and data is classified in the same way. The clearance and classification data is stored in the security labels, which are bound to the specific subjects and objects. When the system makes a decision about fulfilling a request to access an object, it is based on the clearance of the subject, the classification of the object, and the security policy of the system. The rules for how subjects access objects are made by the security officer, configured by the administrator, enforced by the operating system, and supported by security technologies Reference : Shon Harris , AIO v3 , Chapter-4 : Access Control , Page : 163-165