Access Control

Access Control (pronounced: /ˈæk.ses kənˈtroʊl/) is a fundamental concept in Health Informatics and Information Security that refers to the selective restriction of access to a place or other resource. The act of accessing may mean consuming, entering, or using. Permission to access a resource is called Authorization.

Etymology

The term "Access Control" originates from the English words "access" (from Latin 'accessus', approach) and "control" (from Middle French 'contreroller', check or restrain). It was first used in the context of Information Technology in the late 20th century.

Related Terms

Authentication: The process of verifying the identity of a user, process, or device, often as a prerequisite to allowing access to resources in an information system.

Authorization: The process of giving someone permission to do or have something. In multi-user computer systems, a system administrator defines for the system which users are allowed access to the system and what privileges of use.

Biometrics: Refers to metrics related to human characteristics. Biometrics authentication is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control.

Cryptography: The practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties called adversaries.

Data Privacy: The aspect of information technology that deals with the ability an organization or individual has to determine what data in a computer system can be shared with third parties.

Encryption: The method by which information is converted into secret code that hides the information's true meaning.

Identity Management: Describes the management of individual identifiers, their authentication, authorization, roles and privileges within or across system and enterprise boundaries with the goal of increasing security and productivity while decreasing cost, downtime and repetitive tasks.

Information Security: The practice of preventing unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, inspection, recording or destruction of information.