Authorization
Authorization refers to the process of granting or giving permission to access or perform certain actions on a file, system, or resource. It involves verifying the identity of an individual or entity and determining their level of access or privileges.
Key Points:
- Authorization is an important aspect of security and access control in computer systems.
- It ensures that only authorized individuals or entities can access or perform certain actions on a file or resource.
- The process of authorization typically involves the following steps:
- Authentication: Verifying the identity of the user or entity requesting access.
- Authorization Rules: Establishing rules or policies that define what actions or resources a user or entity is allowed to access.
- Access Control: Enforcing the authorization rules and granting or denying access based on the user's permissions.
- Authorization can be granted at different levels, such as:
- File-level authorization: Controlling access to specific files or folders.
- System-level authorization: Controlling access to system resources or functionalities.
- Network-level authorization: Controlling access to network resources or services.
- Authorization can be based on various factors, including:
- User roles or groups: Assigning permissions based on predefined roles or groups.
- Individual user permissions: Assigning specific permissions to individual users.
- Time-based access: Granting access for a limited period of time.
- Contextual factors: Considering additional factors like location, device, or IP address.

Example:
- When you log into a website or application, you usually provide your username and password. This authentication process verifies your identity.
- Once authenticated, the system checks your authorization to determine what actions or resources you are allowed to access.
- For example, a user with administrative privileges may have authorization to access and modify all files and settings, while a regular user may only have access to their own files and limited system functionalities.
- Authorization helps ensure that sensitive information and resources are protected and only accessed by authorized individuals or entities.