To protect content from unauthorized application users,
and to control access to administrative functions, IBM® Content
Analytics with Enterprise Search supports user authentication
and authorization (access controls).
Authentication
Authentication is any process
by which a system verifies the identity of a user who wishes to access
the system. Because access control is typically based on the identity
of the user who requests access to a resource, authentication is essential
to effective security.
User authentication is implemented through
credentials which, at a minimum, consist of a user ID and password.
Authorization (access control)
Authorization
is any mechanism by which a system grants or revokes the right to
access some data or perform some action. Often, a user must log in
to a system by using some form of authentication. Access control mechanisms
determine which operations the user can or cannot do by comparing
the user's identity to an access control list (ACL). Access controls
encompass:
- File permissions, such as the right to create, read, edit or delete
a file.
- Program permissions, such as the right to execute a program.
- Data permissions, such as the right to retrieve or update information
in a database.