10 Real-World Examples of Role-Based Access Control

Access control is a fundamental element of any security program because it dictates who or what can access data and resources within an organization’s systems. This way, you ensure that only authorized users can interact with sensitive information, reducing the risk of breaches or misuse.

One effective approach to access control is Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). RBAC offers precise control by assigning permissions based on roles rather than individual users. 

For example, in a corporate environment, an “HR Manager” role might have access to employee records, while a “Software Developer” role might only have access to the source code repository. 

This method streamlines the process of granting access and reduces the likelihood of errors occurring when permissions are assigned on a case-by-case basis.

In this article, we’ll explore what is RBAC with role based access control example in detail, which covers the necessary information security concepts. 

Let’s dive in…

Role-Based Access Control in Simple Terms

Role-based access Control manages who can access what within an organization based on their role. It’s become a go-to method for advanced access control because it ties network access directly to a person’s job responsibilities.

In simple terms, RBAC assigns roles based on factors such as a person’s job responsibilities, authorization, and skill level. 

For example, someone in a basic user role might only be able to view certain files, while an administrator might have the power to create or modify them. 

This approach ensures that people only have access to what they need to do their job and nothing more—like the principle of least privilege.

Let’s say, for example, there are two roles for a store’s online application: Manager and Sales Associate. The Manager can view, add, edit, and delete product listings, while the Sales Associate can only view and update inventory counts. 

When you organize these permissions to a simple chart, you can assign them based on roles, ensuring each employee has the appropriate level of access.

Permission/Role	Manager	Sales Associate
Edit	Yes	No
Delete	Yes	No
Read	Yes	Yes

As you can see in the above role based access control example, it simplifies the process of managing permissions, making it easier to control who can do what. It also helps keep systems secure by limiting access to only what’s necessary.

Why is Role-Based Access Control Important?

RBAC is important because it simplifies things by automating access rights and cutting down on manual tasks and paperwork.

Instead of dealing with tons of manual tasks and paperwork, RBAC allows you to automate access rights, making everything more efficient. This means less room for errors and a big reduction in cybersecurity risks.

Moreover, RBAC ensures that employees only have access to the information and tools they need to do their jobs—nothing more. This approach, known as the principle of least privilege, helps protect sensitive data by limiting unnecessary access.

That’s why RBAC is so popular in large organizations where you must manage access for hundreds or thousands of employees. 

For example, Sprinto’s access control section aims to connect key systems, like GSuite and AWS, so that user access can be tracked and reviewed regularly within the organization. 

As an organization, it’s important to regularly check that only the right people have access to critical systems. For instance, while GSuite might be accessible to everyone, AWS access should be limited to engineers.

But it’s not just for big companies; smaller organizations also adopt RBAC because it’s easier to manage than traditional access control lists, and we’ll tell you how.

Here’s a video on how you can use RBAC with Sprinto:

Real-World Examples of Role-Based Access Control

A common example for RBAC is a Software Engineer who might have access to tools like GCP and GitHub. With RBAC, you can control access at both broad and detailed levels. 

You can set up roles for administrators, specialist users, or regular users and give permissions based on their job positions. This way, employees get just the access they need to perform their tasks efficiently. 

Now, let’s take a look at the different roles with RBAC example and how it plays a part:

1. As an Administrator

Let’s say you’re an administrator in a rule-based access control system. Set up specific access hours, like allowing entry into the building between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. If someone tries to enter outside those hours, they won’t be able to.

Here’s how it works in a few simple steps:

• You, as the administrator, create the access rules.
• These rules are then integrated into the access control system.
• When someone wants to enter, they use their credentials, like a keyfob or mobile phone.
• The system checks their credentials against the rules you set up.
• Based on that check, the person is allowed in or denied access.

This setup makes it easy to control who can enter the building and when keeping everything secure and organized.

Cloud Storage Management

Another RBAC  model example in a cloud storage service is that you might have roles like Storage Admin and Storage User.

Storage Admin	Storage User
The Storage Admin can create, edit, delete, and manage all storage buckets and permissions.	The Storage User can only upload and download files within their assigned buckets but cannot alter bucket settings.

Database Access

You could have roles like Database Administrator and Data Analyst for a cloud-hosted database.

Database Administrator	Data Analyst
The Database Administrator can manage databases, create and delete tables, and set user permissions.	The Data Analyst has read-only access to query the database but cannot change the data or structure.

Virtual Machine Management

Roles such as VM Manager and VM Operator could be used in a cloud infrastructure platform.

VM Manager	VM Operator
The VM Manager can create, configure, start, and delete virtual machines (VMs).	The VM Operator can start and stop VMs but cannot create or delete them.

Cloud Application Development

You might define roles like Developer and Tester for a cloud-based development platform.

Developer	Tester
The Developer can write, edit, and deploy code, access databases, and modify application configurations.	The Tester can only access the testing environment, run tests, and report issues without altering the code or configurations.

Cloud Security Management

In a cloud security service, you could have roles such as Security Admin and Security Auditor.

Security Admin	Security Auditor
The Security Admin can configure security settings, apply firewall rules, and manage encryption keys.	The Security Auditor has read-only access to view security logs, audit reports, and settings but cannot make any changes.

Common Roles and Examples of RBAC

Software Engineering Role

If you are a software engineer. Your role might provide you with access to development and cloud platforms such as GCP, AWS and GitHub. It means that you always have all the tools needed to create and release software while not being overwhelmed with unnecessary utilities on your dashboard.

Finance Role

For someone in finance, your role may entail using Xero for accounting and ADP for payroll purposes. These tools are essential for managing the financial aspect of the company, and you will have everything at your disposal when balancing the accounts and paying employees.

Marketing Role

Depending on the team you are in, your position may allow you to utilize tools such as HubSpot, Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, and Google Ads. With this access, you can perform campaigns, check or monitor the performance, and even analyze data of the system without having to understand the technical side of the system.

Human Resources Role

In this case, as a human resources professional, you would be able to use these tools through Lever and BambooHR. This means you can manage recruitment and employee records with great ease without having to interface with other systems.

Customer Support Role

A writer of a customer support representative might have access to Zendesk as well as Salesforce. Such tools enable the handling of customer questions and support tickets so that you are capable of offering excellent service outside your mandate.

What are the Alternatives to RBAC?

Despite the fact that using RBAC is more popular, it is not the only one available. Some of the alternatives to RBAC are ABAC, which is Attribute-Based Access Control, and PBAC, which is Policy-Based Access Control. Let’s look at them in more detail:

ABAC (Attribute-Based Access Control)

Attribute-based access Control (ABAC) may be defined as the mechanism that determines who has access to what by defining attributes, user type, resource type, and request context. This ensures that only authorized individuals are permitted to access some data, devices, or other IT assets, depending on the characteristics assigned by policies.

ABAC functions somewhat like the if-then rules based on Boolean algebra.

For example, it could say, “If the person requesting access is a writer, then they shall have the ability to read and edit the editorial data.”

This approach assists in maintaining security as only the users with given attributes can perform specific actions.

1. Policy-Based Access Control (PBAC)

Policy-Based Access Control is a security model of controlling access to a resource based on a set of policies.

In other words, it defines who gets access to what resources in an organization once business roles are used in conjunction with other more granular controls.

PBAC begins with the designation of user privileges by their business roles as seen in PBAC but does not end there. It also allows administrators to add even more granular controls of a much more attribute nature.

This means that PBAC is more flexible than most conventional role-based or attribute-based access controls for granular security that offers varied levels of protection.

2. Relationship-Based Access Control (ReBAC)

As it indicates, ReBAC ensures that it controls access and resources with regard to the association between the users and these resources. Unlike other practices, where one uses roles or attributes, ReBAC concerns how people and resources are tied together.

For instance, consider the situation when you want to share your photographed album with several friends. The platform has different relationship types, like “friend,” “family,” or “colleague. ” The access control policy might be something like “if you decide to share a photo album, then only the users registered as ‘friends’ can see that album.”

Thus, when you indeed upload and share the album, it examines who is considered as a friend of yours. The photos will only be visible to those users that you have in your contact list who are in your age bracket.

In this way, it is more reasonable and safer to allow access to the actual contacts that a person has in the social network.

3. Access Control List 

An ACL is similar to a security list that determines the access level granted to the network resource. A single record in an ACL depicts who is granted or barred access and what they are authorized to do.

It’s similar to having a guest list to a club – only people on the list have the privilege of getting into the club. This makes it possible for the administrators to provide access to devices or users who have the right credentials only.

Suppose you are in charge of a directory on the company’s intranet containing crucial information for a particular project. This folder has to be protected from unauthorized reading, writing, or execution by any individual.

This ACL might look something like this in a simplified format:

User	Read	Write	Execute
Jake	Yes	Yes	Yes
Alan	Yes	No	Yes
Charlie	Yes	No	No

Simplify and Automate Critical Systems Access Reviews at Scale

With Sprinto, you can effortlessly configure, manage, and monitor access controls. Simply define access criteria and set up login workflows according to your policies. Sprinto then puts role-based and ticket-based access control right at your fingertips, across all your systems.

Keep track of everything with automated and manual workflow checks. You’ll always have visibility into accounts, access status, ongoing checks, and upcoming actions, ensuring you never miss a prompt to upload evidence or review an access request.

Sprinto aids you in implementing zero-trust security that aligns with the choice of your security framework. You get robust protection through access policies, review processes, and real-time visibility—all in one place!

Moreover, with Sprinto, managing access controls doesn’t have to come at the cost of convenience or productivity. Unlike traditional access reviews that often slow things down, Sprinto seamlessly integrates into your workflow, ensuring robust security without getting in the way of your team’s efficiency.

Here’s how you can implement it with Sprinto:

• Start by identifying each critical system in your environment that you want to manage access to through Sprinto.
• Add these critical systems to the Sprinto platform to begin managing access.
• For each critical system, assign the roles that are eligible for access.
• Configure how access is shared with new users, and set up login protection methods (like two-factor authentication) during the configuration process.
• If you can’t find a particular critical system in the Sprinto list, manually add it to the platform.
• Upload evidence of how logins are managed, review user lists, and attach the complete list of users for each application.
• Set up rules that define how long access is valid for each critical system.
• Specify the login protection methods for each critical system to enhance security.

Interested to know more? Book a demo with us.

FAQs

What is the role of access control in cloud security?

Access control in cloud security is crucial because it gives companies a clear view of their data and how users are interacting with it. Since cloud apps often offer on-demand services and mobility, they might not provide the full picture. With effective access control, companies can protect their most valuable asset—data—by ensuring only the right people have access to it.

What are the two types of role-based access control?

There are two types of role-based access control:

1. Technical: This type is for users who handle technical tasks, like system maintenance or troubleshooting.
2. Administrative: This type is for users who perform administrative tasks, such as managing user accounts or configuring settings.

What is the least-privilege principle?

The principle of least privilege is a security idea that says each user or system should only have access to the data, resources, and applications they need to do their job. This helps minimize the risk of unauthorized access or misuse.

What is a role based access control policy example?

An example of role-based access control is setting permissions in a writing application where users can either read, edit, or delete articles.