Which principle primarily ensures that a user's access is restricted based on their role within an organization?

Role-based access control (RBAC) is the principle that primarily ensures a user's access is restricted based on their role within an organization. In RBAC, permissions are assigned to specific roles rather than to individual users. This means that users are granted access to resources based on their job responsibilities and the roles they have within the organization. This model simplifies administration and ensures that users can only access information and systems necessary for their role, effectively minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches.

Implementing RBAC enhances security and compliance by making it clear what access rights each role entails. For instance, a user in a human resources role would have different access privileges than a user in IT support, reflecting their distinct functions within the organization. This structured approach not only streamlines the access management process but also provides an efficient way to enforce least privilege principles.

Other access control models, such as attribute-based access control (ABAC), focus on various attributes (like time of access, location, or other contextual factors) to determine access levels, while discretionary access control (DAC) gives users the ability to determine who can access their resources. Mandatory access control (MAC), on the other hand, enforces access policies based on fixed classifications and is typically used in highly