What does role-based access control (RBAC) entail?

Role-based access control (RBAC) is a security paradigm that assigns permissions to users based on their designated roles within an organization. This means that each user is given access rights that align with their specific job functions, responsibilities, and tasks. For instance, an employee in the HR department may have different access requirements compared to someone in IT or finance.

By structuring access rights around roles rather than individual users, RBAC helps streamline user management and minimizes the risk of inappropriate access to sensitive data. It ensures that users can only access the information necessary for their roles, thereby enhancing security and compliance with regulatory standards. This approach not only simplifies account administration but also improves security by adhering to the principle of least privilege, which states that users should only be given access to the resources they need to perform their job duties.