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Description / Abstract:
This standard consists of two main parts – the RBAC Reference
Model and the RBAC System and Administrative Functional
Specification.
The RBAC Reference Model defines sets of basic RBAC elements
(i.e., users, roles, permissions, operations and objects) and
relations as types and functions that are included in this
standard. The RBAC reference model serves two purposes. First, the
reference model defines the scope of RBAC features that are
included in the standard. This identifies the minimum set of
features included in all RBAC systems, aspects of role hierarchies,
aspects of static constraint relations, and aspects of dynamic
constraint relations. Second, the reference model provides a
precise and consistent language, in terms of element sets and
functions for use in defining the functional specification.
The RBAC System and Administrative Functional Specification
specifies the features that are required of an RBAC system. These
features fall into three categories, administrative operations,
administrative reviews, and system level functionality. The
administrative operations define functions in terms of an
administrative interface and an associated set of semantics that
provide the capability to create, delete and maintain RBAC elements
and relations (e.g., to create and delete user role assignments).
The administrative review features define functions in terms of an
administrative interface and an associated set of semantics that
provide the capability to perform query operations on RBAC elements
and relations. System level functionality defines features for the
creation of user sessions to include role activation/deactivation,
the enforcement of constraints on role activation, and for
calculation of an access decision. Annex A provides a functional
specification overview. Informative Annex B provides a rationale
for the major RBAC components defined in this document.
A companion to this standard describes the enhancement of RBAC
constraints. The present standard recognizes only constraints that
are local to an RBAC environment. These constraints deal only with
separation of duty and cardinality. These constraints are evaluated
within the local RBAC environment, as opposed to being provided
from outside the local RBAC environment. The RBAC Policy-Enhanced
(RPE) standard [RPE] also specifies constraints evaluated within
the local environment. In addition, external constraints or the
results of evaluating external constraints are imported into the
environment. These constraints may change in real-time.
This standard and the RPE standard have the evaluation of
constraints as part of the access control decision in common. Thus,
they are compatible, with the base standard addressing more limited
constraints and the RPE standard addressing a potentially wide
variety of constraints.