userrights

User rights are the permissions assigned to a user within a computing environment that determine what resources they can access and what operations they can perform. They are enforced through authentication and authorization mechanisms and are central to information security, privacy, and resource governance.

Scope includes operating systems (file access, process execution), databases (query, update), networks (access to services), applications (feature usage), and cloud platforms (roles, API access). Rights may be time-limited or location-limited or conditional on context.

Common models: discretionary access control (DAC) uses access lists; mandatory access control (MAC) enforces system-defined policies; role-based access control (RBAC) assigns permissions by role; attribute-based access control (ABAC) uses user attributes and environment conditions. The principle of least privilege should guide assignments.

Management: rights are granted during onboarding, updated on role changes, and revoked when role ends; policies, access reviews, and auditing are used; multi-factor authentication strengthens control.

Special cases: administrative or elevated rights grant broader capabilities, often requiring stricter controls and monitoring to prevent abuse; privilege escalation risk must be mitigated.

Data protection and user rights: across many jurisdictions, individuals have rights over their data, such as access, portability, and deletion; organizations implement mechanisms to respect these rights while maintaining system security.