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Authorization, often spelled as authorisation in British English, is the process of granting or denying specific access rights or permissions to a user or system. It is a fundamental aspect of information security, ensuring that only authorized individuals or entities can perform certain actions or access sensitive data. Authorization typically follows authentication, which is the process of verifying the identity of a user or system. Once a user is authenticated, the authorization system determines what resources they are allowed to interact with and what operations they can perform.

Common authorization models include role-based access control (RBAC), where permissions are assigned to roles, and users are then assigned to those roles. Attribute-based access control (ABAC) is another model that grants access based on a combination of attributes associated with the user, resource, and environment.

The purpose of authorization is to enforce security policies, prevent unauthorized access, and maintain the integrity and confidentiality of systems and data. It plays a crucial role in protecting against data breaches, misuse of resources, and other security threats. Effective authorization mechanisms are essential for any system that handles sensitive information or performs critical operations.