What is fine-grained access control?

According to IBM, the global cost of a data breach hit USD 4.45 million in 2023, a 15% jump in three years. This hike and eroding customer trust highlight why tight access control is crucial. 

By allowing organizations to limit access to sensitive information on a strict need-to-know basis, fine-grained access control (FGAC) significantly reduces security risks for both you and your customers.

In this article, we will explore what exactly FGAC is, how it works, its different types, and its benefits.

What is fine-grained access control?

Fine-grained access control or FGAC enables admins to control access to resources at a granular level. Instead of a broad all-or-nothing approach that applies permissions at a high level (e.g., granting access to an entire app or database), FGAC enables precise control at a very granular level such as specific files, database records, or individual actions (like view, edit, or delete).

FGAC uses policies and rules that consider the context of access requests, such as the user's role, location, time of access, and the sensitivity of the data being accessed, then restricting or granting access to users based on these policies.

How fine-grained access control works?

Fine-grained access control restricts access to resources based on certain attributes. It uses attributes like a user's identity, role, or group memberships to determine what they can access.

Alongside user attributes, FGAC also considers attributes of the resource itself. Access may be based on a document's classification, a server's physical location, or a database table's sensitivity. Resources with more sensitive data typically have tighter restrictions.

In some cases, you’ll have an access control policy that specifies which users can access which resources under what conditions. 

Effective FGAC is dynamic, adapting as attributes change. For example, if an employee is promoted to manager, the access control policy automatically grants them the appropriate additional permissions. Similarly, if resources are reclassified, FGAC can revoke obsolete access rights. 

This dynamic access is made possible through real-time protocols like SCIM. SCIM ensures you always have access to the most current and correct user information. This means that changes in a user's status, role, or other attributes in the IdP are quickly reflected in your app. Then, based on these attributes, you decide whether to grant a user access or not.

For instance, if an admin changes a user's role from "Staff" to "Manager," the IdP propagates this change to your app by sending a SCIM request containing the user’s SCIM attributes to your app. Your app then processes this request and adjusts the user's access rights accordingly.

Types of fine-grained access control

There are several types of fine-grained access control. The most common ones are:

• Role-based access control (RBAC): Access is granted based on a person's role in an organization. 
• Attribute-based access control (ABAC): Access depends on attributes like a user's department, location, or security clearance. 
• Purpose-based access control: Access depends on why the user needs it.

Role-based access control

Role-based access control (RBAC) assigns access rights to roles, not individual users. Roles are typically created based on job functions and the access levels each job needs. For instance, a 'Manager' role might have access to certain reports and tools that a 'Staff' role does not. Users assigned to a role, inherit the permissions of that role. 

RBAC is more straightforward compared to the other access control methods in this list, as access rights are grouped by role, not individually. This makes it easier to manage but less flexible when it comes to handling more nuanced access needs. 

In an enterprise environment, for instance, where managers need to access performance reviews only for their directory reports, RBAC by itself may not be sufficient. This is because RBAC would require creating numerous specific roles within the manager category to accurately reflect different access needs, which can quickly become complicated.

To solve this problem, organizations often supplement RBAC with more granular access control methods like ABAC.

Attribute-based access control

Attribute-based access control (ABAC) assigns access rights based on a combination of attributes of users, resources, and the environment. Attributes could include job title, clearance level, project membership, time of day, device used, etc. ABAC policies define rules that determine who can access what based on these attributes.

It allows for more refined access controls beyond the broad categories provided by RBAC. For example, by adding an attribute, like “direct reports” for managers, an organization can restrict manager’s access to performance reviews for only the employees on their team.

Purpose-based access control

Purpose-based access control (PBAC) focuses on why someone wants access to a resource or a system before deciding to give them access. The purpose could be conducting an audit, using an application, updating employment details, etc.

First, the organization sets up rules that outline who can access what, based on their job role and other attributes. Then, when someone asks for access, they need to state why they need it. The system checks if this reason is valid and authorized for the specific data or resource the user is requesting. This step might involve checking the user's role, the sensitivity of the data, and any relevant context (such as time of day or user location).

While this process might remind you of ABAC, which focuses on user attributes, PBAC goes a step further by putting a spotlight on the purpose behind the request. Is this access request for a purpose that’s allowed?

For example, an HR manager's request to access employee performance data to conduct annual reviews is approved specifically for performance review purposes.

Benefits of fine-grained access control

FGAC benefits both you and your customers.

Enhanced security

FGAC allows your customers to specify access rights at a very granular level. Users only get access to the resources they need to do their jobs. This minimizes the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Additionally, limiting access to a need-to-know basis reduces the potential impact of a security breach. Attackers can only access the limited data available to the compromised account.

Improved compliance

Many industries are subject to regulations that require strict control over access to data (such as GDPR for personal data, or HIPAA for health information). FGAC helps companies follow these rules by controlling who sees what, and making sure personal or sensitive data is only accessed by those with a legitimate reason. 

Take, for instance, GDPR. The “purpose limitation principle” mandates that personal data must be "collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes”. PBAC allows organizations to restrict access based on a specific purpose and in turn stay compliant.

Reduced admin overhead

FGAC reduces operational costs by automating access management. This significantly decreases the manual effort required from admins or IT staff to oversee and control who accesses specific data within the organization. 

Employees also get access automatically, without needing to request IT for access. With RBAC for instance, employees automatically gain all the access associated with their role.

Attracting more clients

By supporting FGAC, you become more appealing to potential clients who want to control their employee’s access to your app at a granular level. 

Plus, it shows your clients that you take security and privacy seriously. When you have tight controls over access to customer data, accounts, and other resources, it builds trust in your brand. Customers can feel confident their sensitive information is protected and only accessible to authorized users.

Reduced risk of data breaches

Your customers have direct control over who can access their data and what actions they can perform. Provided you accurately enforce these policies in your app, the security risk you have to take on is significantly reduced.

Examples of fine-grained access control in action

• Online banking: Your bank utilizes FGAC to ensure only you can access your accounts. Once you log in, you have specific permissions to view balances, pay bills, transfer funds, etc. The bank restricts other customers from accessing your information and limits employees to only accessing data needed to do their jobs.
• E-commerce customer data protection: An e-commerce platform can implement FGAC to manage access to customer data. Marketing staff may analyze purchasing trends and demographics without accessing personally identifiable information (PII), whereas customer service agents access contact information only when resolving issues.
• Company financials: Companies use FGAC to manage who sees sensitive financial data like earnings reports, budgets, and forecasts before public release. Only key executives and board members may view the full details. Other employees get access on an as-needed basis to do their jobs. External auditors also get temporary access to review company financials. Strict controls prevent unauthorized access and financial data leaks.
• Classified government documents: Government agencies use FGAC to control access to classified data like foreign intelligence, military operations, etc. Users receive security clearances to access data on a need-to-know basis. The level of clearance determines what information a user can see.

Next steps

Ready to implement fine-grained access control? Use WorkOS FGA.

With WorkOS FGA, you can implement fine-grained access control models like ABAC and ReBAC, or even customize your own model that uniquely meets your needs. With WorkOS APIs and SDKs, you can get started in minutes.

Start building with WorkOS.