Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) vs. Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC): What You Need to Know
In today’s security-driven software landscape, controlling access to resources is crucial. Two dominant access control models— RBAC and ABAC —help teams manage permissions, but they differ significantly in flexibility, complexity, and use cases. Let’s dive into what sets them apart and when to use each. What is Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)? RBAC assigns permissions to users based on roles they belong to (e.g., Admin, Editor, Viewer). Pros: Simple and easy to manage Scalable for small to mid-sized teams Industry-standard for enterprise apps Cons: Limited flexibility Role explosion in complex systems Example: A user with the "Manager" role can view and edit employee records but cannot delete them. What is Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)? ABAC evaluates user attributes , resource attributes, and environmental conditions (e.g., time, location) to determine access. Pros: Highly flexible and fine-grained Context-aware security Better suited for dynamic or multi-tenant ...