Access Control List Full Notes PDF
Access Control List Full Notes PDF
Each system resource has a security attribute that identifies its access
control list. The list includes an entry for every user who can access the
system. The most common privileges for a file system ACL include the ability
to read a file or all the files in a directory, to write to the file or files, and to
execute the file if it is an executable file or program. ACLs are also built into
network interfaces and operating systems (OSes), including Linux and
Windows. On a computer network, access control lists are used to prohibit or
allow certain types of traffic to the network. They commonly filter traffic
based on its source and destination.
Access control lists can help organize traffic to improve network efficiency
and to give network administrators granular control over users on their
computer systems and networks. ACLs can also be used to improve network
security by keeping out malicious traffic.
1. File system ACLs manage access to files and directories. They give
OSes the instructions that establish user access permissions for the
system and their privileges once the system has been accessed.
Control. ACLs can give administrators more granular control over user
and traffic permissions on a network at many different points in the
network. They help control access to network endpoints and traffic flowing
between internal networks.
Where can you place an access control list?
Access control lists can be placed on virtually any security or routing device,
and having multiple ACLs in different parts of the network can be beneficial.
Edge routers with ACLs can be placed in the demilitarized zone (DMZ)
between the public internet and the rest of the network. A DMZ is a buffer
zone with an outward-facing router that provides general security from all
external networks. It also features an internal router that separates the DMZ
from the protected network.
DMZs may contain different network resources, like application servers, web
servers, domain name servers or virtual private networks. The configuration of the
ACL on the routing device is different, depending on the devices behind it and the
categories of user that need access to those devices.
ACLs are
commonly placed in the DMZ or on the perimeter to filter traffic.
Components of an access control list
ACL entries consist of several different components that specify how the ACL treats
different traffic types. Some examples of common ACL components include the
following:
Sequence number. The sequence number shows the identity of the object in the
ACL entry.
ACL name. This identifies an ACL using a name instead of a number. Some
ACLs allow both numbers and letters.
Comments. Some ACLs enable users to add comments, which are extra
descriptions of the ACL entry.
Log. Some ACL devices keep a log of objects that the ACL recognizes.
More advanced ACL entries can specify traffic based on certain IP packet header
fields, like Differentiated Services Code Point, Type of Service or IP precedence.
A standard ACL list is generally implemented close to the destination that it is trying
to protect. Extended access control lists are generally implemented close to the
source. Extended ACLs can be configured using access list names instead of access
list numbers.
The basic syntax used to create a standard numbered access control list on a Cisco
router is as follows:
(1300-1999) specifies the ACL IP number range. This names the ACL and
defines the type of ACL. 1300-1999 makes this a standard ACL.
(permit | deny) specifies the packet to permit or reject.
Source-addr specifies the source IP address.
A wildcard mask tells a router which bits of an IP address are available for a network
device to examine and determine if it matches the access list.
Users can enter the above configuration code into the command line to create the
access control list. Cloud platforms from vendors, including Oracle and IBM, also
typically offer an option to create an access control list in their user login portal.
Setting user permissions throughout a computer system can be tedious, but there
are ways to automate the script.