(ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity Practice Exam

What term refers to the permission granted to a system entity to access a specific system resource?

1. Authorization

2. Access Control

3. Authentication

4. Privileged Access

The correct answer is: Authorization

The term that refers to the permission granted to a system entity to access a specific system resource is "Authorization." Authorization is a key concept in cybersecurity that involves determining whether a user or system has the right to access a particular resource or perform certain actions within a system. It comes into play after successful authentication, which confirms the identity of a user or entity. For instance, once a user is authenticated and their identity is verified, authorization processes dictate what resources the user can access and what actions they can perform based on their role and permissions. This is critical for maintaining security and ensuring that sensitive data and system functions are protected from unauthorized access. The concepts of access control, authentication, and privileged access are related but distinct. Access control refers to the broader framework and policies used to manage who can access specific resources, while authentication focuses specifically on verifying the identity of users. Privileged access refers to the special permissions granted to certain users that allow them to perform sensitive operations, but it is a subset of the larger concept of authorization.