Create and implement access control lists (ACL)

Create and Implement Access Control Lists (ACL)

Access Control Lists (ACL) are security measures used to control access to resources on a computer network. ACLs are lists of rules or policies that specify which users or groups are allowed access to which resources, and what actions they are permitted to perform on those resources. Creating and implementing ACLs is crucial in securing networks and data, as it helps prevent unauthorized access and protects against potential attacks.

To create an ACL, administrators must first identify the resources on the network that need to be protected, such as files, folders, and network devices. Once the resources have been identified, access policies can be established, which define the level of access that each user or group is granted. These policies can be as granular as needed, specifying different levels of access for different users, groups, or even specific network segments.

Once the policies have been defined, they can be implemented on the network. This involves configuring the ACL on each network device that will be affected by the policies. Typically, this is done through the device’s configuration interface, where administrators can define rules that enforce the access policies. Once the ACL is in place, it is important to monitor its effectiveness and adjust the policies as necessary to ensure that they continue to provide the necessary level of security.

An access control list (ACL), specifies which users or system processes are granted access to objects, as well as what operations are allowed on given objects. Each entry in a typical ACL specifies a subject and an operation. For instance, if a file object has an ACL that contains (Alice: read,write; Bob: read), this would give Alice permission to read and write the file and Bob to only read it.

On some types of proprietary computer hardware (in particular routers and switches), an access control list refers to rules that are applied to port numbers or IP addresses that are available on a host or other layer 3, each with a list of hosts and/or networks permitted to use the service. Although it is additionally possible to configure access control lists based on network domain names, this is generally a questionable idea because individual TCP, UDP, and ICMP headers do not contain domain names. Consequently, the device enforcing the access control list must separately resolve names to numeric addresses. This presents an additional attack surface for an attacker who is seeking to compromise security of the system which the access control list is protecting. Both individual servers as well as routers can have network ACLs. Access control lists can generally be configured to control both inbound and outbound traffic, and in this context they are similar to firewalls. Like firewalls, ACLs are subject to security regulations and standards such as PCI DSS.

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