XACML Reference Library Archives - Harvesting web technologies

Identity and Access Management, XACML Reference Library

What is a XACML Obligation?

Definition The XACML standard defines the concept of obligations which are elements which can be returned along with a XACML decision (either of Permit or Deny) in order to enrich that decision. Obligations are triggered on either Permit or Deny. The Policy Enforcement Point must implement and enforce obligations. If it fails to do so, it must deny access to the requested resource (in the case of a Permit). The XACML 3.0 standard defines obligations as follows: An operation specified in a rule, policy or policy set that should be performed by the PEP in conjunction with the enforcement of an authorization decision Where can I use an Obligation? Obligations can be defined in PolicySet, Policy, and Rule elements. This […]

XACML Reference Library

What is a XACML condition?

It’s that time of the week when the creative juices go south and the urge to relax hits all-time records. And I know you are all craving for some XACML goodness before you head out for the weekend. After all, just a spoonful of XACML makes the… Uh who am I kidding? Let’s get on with this new episode of TGIF XACML. Today, let’s focus on a XACML condition. Definition A condition is an element of the XACML policy language. Unlike targets, it can only occur in rules. The condition is used to further define the scope of XACML rules. The scope defines when the rule will trigger. Both the target and the condition therefore help define the scope of […]

XACML Reference Library

What is a XACML combining algorithm?

Today’s Friday, the weather is definitely telling us winter is right around the corner. Morning temperatures have been heading south and are flirting with the freezing point. The skies are still clear and a bright blue.Before the weekend comes knocking, it’s this time of the week when I share a bit of XACML know-how to chew on over the next couple of days. In the training sessions we regularly give at Axiomatics, attendees sometimes struggle with the notion of authorization conflict resolution. At times, you might write policies that overlap or contradict one another. This is where combining algorithms come into play. Combining Algorithm Example Imagine the following use case: What happens if Alice, the purchasing manager from Vermont, is […]

XACML Reference Library

What is a XACML target?

Today’s Friday, the weather has been amazingly nice these past few weeks in Stockholm which is all the more surprising since September is on the slope down to darker, wetter, and colder days. The weekend ahead looks promising. I’ll be heading out to fellow colleague, Andreas’ summer house out in the archipelago. But before I walk out the door, I thought I’d share a bit of XACML know-how to chew on over the next couple of days. In the training sessions we regularly give at Axiomatics, attendees often ask what a target is. XACML Target Definition A target is an element of the XACML policy language. It can occur in policy sets, policies, and rules. The target is used to […]