How to implement access control: step by step

Ignoring access control in your organization exposes you to significant risks such as data breaches, insider threats, and severe regulatory fines — potential nightmares that could devastate your business. 

Effective access control goes beyond preventing unauthorized access; it ensures the right individuals access the appropriate resources precisely when needed, under the correct conditions.

Implementing strong access control measures secures critical assets and boosts operational efficiency. Authorized users can easily access resources without compromising security.

In this article, we’ll provide a detailed guide on how to implement access control effectively and share some best practices to follow.

Understanding access control

Access control is a critical concept in security management that determines who or what is allowed access to resources, such as systems, environments, and data. It is a fundamental component of security protocols that ensures confidential data and critical resources are restricted to authorized users. 

Without proper access control, your sensitive info could end up in the wrong hands. It's therefore important because it:

• ‍Keeps your data safe: Your confidential data stays confidential.‍
• Boosts user efficiency: Users can quickly access what they need (and only what they need) to do their job.‍
• Helps with compliance: Many regulations require you to control who sees what. Proper access control helps organizations comply with these regulations, avoiding legal penalties.‍
• Tracks user activity: Activity tracking within an access control system enables organizations to audit user actions and resource usage, which is critical in identifying suspicious behavior or policy violations.

How to implement access control

1. Identify and classify data

First, you need to know what you're protecting. This involves:

• Understanding your data types.
• Where the data is stored.
• The data sensitivity level. Data classification typically ranges from public to highly confidential, and this classification helps determine the level of protection needed.

After you do the data inventory and classify it, tag the data appropriately. The tags will help in automated access control later, especially when integrated with an identity and server provider.

2. Choose your access control model

Now, pick your access control model. Will it be role-based, attribute-based, or something else? The choice often depends on the nature of your data, the level of granularity you need, and operational flexibility.

Here are some examples of access control models:

• Discretionary Access Control (DAC): Owners directly manage resource access. DAC provides flexibility by allowing owners to adjust permissions as needed. It is best for environments where data sensitivity is low, and user autonomy is high, such as in small businesses or creative agencies.
• Mandatory Access Control (MAC): Access is regulated through fixed policies established by a central authority. This model is ideal for settings requiring high security and consistency, such as government or military environments.
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Access permissions are based on organizational roles. RBAC effectively manages large groups within organizations where roles are well-defined. It is necessary for scalable permission management, such as in healthcare institutions, where roles like doctors, nurses, and administrators require specific access to patient records and medical systems.
• Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC): Decisions are dynamically made based on user attributes, environmental conditions, and resource characteristics. ABAC is optimal for complex and dynamic environments where access needs vary, such as cloud computing companies.
• Relationship-Based Access Control (ReBAC): Access rights are determined by the relationships and interactions between entities within a system. This model suits environments like social networks or collaborative platforms. Permissions are closely tied to user relationships and interactions.

3. Define policies and roles

Develop clear rules defining who can access resources, under what conditions, and with what permission level (read, write, execute). This may involve pairing up your data categories with the right access levels.

If using RBAC, list all functions within your organization and the responsibilities associated with each. This helps in identifying necessary roles. For each role, assign only the minimum level of access necessary for individuals to perform their duties effectively

4. Set up access control mechanisms

You'll need to configure the access control system to manage and enforce these rules based on the chosen access control model — whether DAC, MAC, RBAC, ABAC, or ReBAC. This involves:

• Inputting the defined access rules into the access control software
• Setting conditions under which access is allowed or denied
• Setting up user directories to store user information, including credentials and attributes, which are essential in the authorization processes

5. Implement authentication and authorization

Authentication verifies a user’s identity, while authorization ensures they have the right to access certain resources. Implement strong authentication methods (e.g., multi-factor authentication) and authorization processes to check user permissions before granting access to resources. 

6. Monitor and audit access

Last but not least, set up monitoring tools to track who's accessing what and when. Regular audits are your best friend here — they'll help you spot any fishy business before it becomes a full-blown security nightmare.

Access control best practices

These are some of the best practices for implementing access control:

• Apply the principle of least privilege: The principle of least privilege means giving users only the access they need to perform their jobs. It’s important because it minimizes the risk of data breaches by limiting access to sensitive information only to those who truly need it.
• Regularly update access control policies: As an organization changes—like when employees change roles, leave, or new technological upgrades are added — the access control needs also change. Periodically reviewing and revising access control policies ensures they remain effective and relevant to current organizational needs.
• Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adding extra layers of security using MFA makes it harder for unauthorized people to gain access. MFA requires users to provide multiple proof of identity (like a password plus a code sent to their phone) before accessing sensitive information. Studies have shown that MFA can block up to 99.9% of automated cyberattacks.
• Educate and train employees: Many security breaches happen because of human errors. Regularly educating employees about the importance of security, spotting potential threats (like phishing emails), and following proper security procedures can significantly reduce these risks.
• Use automated tools for access management: Automated tools can help manage who has access to what more efficiently and with fewer errors. These tools handle tasks like setting up new accounts and changing access rights automatically, which helps maintain tight security without slowing things down.
• Conduct regular security audits: Regular checks on your security systems help catch any issues before they become serious problems. These audits assess how well your access controls work and whether they need adjustments. They also ensure that your organization follows compliance laws and regulations, which can protect you from legal trouble.

Next steps

Implementing access control doesn't have to be complicated. For those looking for guidance on how to implement access control, using a vendor like WorkOS can streamline the process, removing the complexities of developing and deploying your system. 

WorkOS FGA offers a plug-and-play Zanzibar-like service, delivering the same scalability, consistency, and performance — without any infrastructure to deploy and maintain. FGA offers the flexibility to implement any access control model, from ABAC and RBAC to ReBAC, or even a custom solution tailored to your specific needs. With easy-to-use APIs and SDKs, easy-to-follow documentation, and Slack-based support, you can add access control to your app in minutes rather than weeks.

Sign up for WorkOS today, and start selling to enterprise customers tomorrow.