Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) Software

To protect sensitive data from improper use, alteration, or deletion, companies need a system to restrict employee access. RBAC stands for Role-Based Access Control and it refers to a method for restricting data access based on a user’s role in the company.

With RBAC, employees can access only the resources and files they need to fulfill their responsibilities. Their credentials allow or restrict access based on the tasks they are assigned, which means they can access only the resources they need for their role, helping protect other data against misuse.

RBAC systems can be especially useful in larger enterprises and in companies that use third-party contractors. As the number of employees increases and the authorized contractors change, it can be difficult to provide unique credential settings for each employee. Using a role-based access control system means that admins can sort employees or contractors into preexisting groups, or roles, which grant access to a defined set of resources. This access is temporary, as the employees can also be removed from the group when the task is complete. Admins can also reset the permission levels for the groups, which means they can better manage employees at scale, increase efficiency, and even improve compliance.

RBAC enables administrators to divide users into groups based on the different roles they take on, and a single user can belong to multiple groups. Typically, employee access takes into consideration the person’s active status and roles, any security requirements, and existing policies.

It is best practice to provide minimal authorization for any given user—only enough so that they can do their job. This is known as the principle of least privilege, and it helps ensure data security. At the same time, permissions can be too restrictive for certain roles—you may need to change loosen access restrictions to facilitate greater collaboration and increase team productivity.

Role-based access control software helps admins implement an RBAC system by automating onboarding, management, and credential deletion. This software typically integrates with systems like Active Directory (AD) and provides a user-friendly approach to account management.

As an enterprise scales, admins can find it hard to keep track of the increasing number of roles and forms of role-based access for users belonging to multiple groups. Additional complexity can come from contractors who come and go, yet their accounts remain in the system.

RBAC software can help improve operational efficiency and organizational security. It can be used to automate the onboarding process for new users, providing them with credentials that specify group permissions. It can also automatically deprovision accounts that are no longer active, reducing the risk of unauthorized use. Since many larger organizations need to manage users at scale, RBAC software helps speed up the account management process by providing role-based templates for rapid onboarding and mass changes.

Many forms of RBAC software also provide visibility into user access and activity, assisting with the detection of security breaches and suspicious activity. Automation enables administrators to deprovision or change credentials quickly to help prevent costly data breaches.

As organizations look to improve their data practices and demonstrate compliance with data privacy mandates, RBAC security software also provides admins with a way to automatically generate reports and send them to auditors as needed.

RBAC is an efficient and easy way to control user access for many organizations. Admins can implement this user permissions management strategy within the Microsoft directory service platform Active Directory—a system used by many organizations for centralized domain management. Active Directory technology helps enterprises manage users and credentials at scale.

AD enables admins to restrict user access based on roles, granting privileges based on what the user needs to complete their tasks. Once you have established user groups with Active Directory, you can navigate to Roles and add a new role, description, and permissions. You can then assign that role to a group. Integrating RBAC for Active Directory can help improve security for your organization by ensuring that unauthorized access in one area does not unintentionally compromise other sensitive data. However, AD has some limitations for how you can apply permissions and doesn’t centralize the permissions management process and overview.

Using RBAC software, administrators can automate provisioning and deprovisioning of credentials across different platforms, reducing the time and resources devoted to AD management. RBAC software that links to AD also offers built-in roles that can be used as templates.

As a system that restricts and continuously updates user access, RBAC can simplify and improve cybersecurity for your organization while also demonstrating compliance with regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.

In any organization, employees need the right data to perform their jobs, and granting adequate access is essential to ensure productivity and operational efficiency. However, granting and even automating access can also expose the organization to hacks. Hackers can take advantage of a single user account to access sensitive data, especially if that user account has excessive permissions. In many cases, that account may belong to an employee with limited responsibilities—or even a former employee—but nonetheless provides an entry point for bad actors.

RBAC security limits access to the user’s “role,” or “group.” This helps ensure that even if hacked, the account would be unable to access sensitive data beyond the user’s responsibilities. For instance, a hack in the marketing department would not compromise sensitive technological information or financial data.

As the public grows increasingly concerned about data privacy, governments across the globe are implementing data protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA. To meet compliance standards, companies must become more transparent about personal data and provide reports of their data protection practices.

Implementing RBAC software can simplify the audit process by providing structured templates for user access levels, as well as monitoring user access over time. Many RBAC software solutions can help companies generate audit reports, improving compliance and helping reduce the risk of fines.

SolarWinds Access Rights Manager helps companies improve security by automating key RBAC practices for Active Directory. ARM is designed to automate the creation, modification, and deletion of user accounts to reduce administrative overhead and improve security. ARM offers role-based templates for easy restriction of access and easy management as responsibilities change.

With automation, new users can be onboarded more quickly and gain access to the files they need without creating excessive cybersecurity risks. By automating deletion, companies can better manage temporary and outbound employees. Companies that hire contractors at scale can reduce the risk of data breaches from third-party contractors.

ARM also provides administrators with a granular view of user access. By visualizing user access in detail, ARM helps administrators detect and respond to suspicious activity and data breaches quickly. ARM is also built to automatically deprovision accounts where suspicious activity has been identified, helping prevent ongoing damage from cyberattacks.

To help demonstrate compliance and improve cybersecurity across the organization, ARM is designed to generate audit reports of user permissions and access changes. Administrators can analyze user access to critical data over time, helping to ensure that key enterprise assets are protected.

To comply with new data laws, organizations need to conduct audits and demonstrate compliant data practices or they may face costly fines. With its integrated compliance reporting tool, SolarWinds ARM provides standardized, audit-ready reports, helping organizations demonstrate compliance and minimize risk.

Other SolarWinds Tools to Help Minimize Security Risk:

• Security Event Manager
• SolarWinds Patch Manager
• SolarWinds Identity Monitor

Related Resources:

• Active Directory Auditing
• Active Directory Shared Folder Permissions
• Active Directory Reporting
• NTFS Permissions Report
• Azure User Provisioning