Access Control Use Cases

This page is a collection point for IdAS access control use cases. It is really just fodder for discussion for the "access control work area" that we're starting up (now that 1.0 is out)...

We need to collect a set of representative use cases and see just how powerful a mechanism is needed in Higgins. If we move beyond just a few simple use cases, we'll likely just want to start looking at profiling XACML.

HR directory

Each person listed in the directory can:

• update selected attributes of their own entry (Node)
• see/read all attributes of their own entry

Authorized members of the HR department can:

• edit all attributes of every entry
• see/read all attributes of their own entry(role=HR-mgr)

Doc Searl's "Vendor Relationship Management"

Each customer of British Airways can:

• update selected attributes of their Node (e.g. email address)
• see/read selected attributes of their own entry

British Airways administrators can:

• update all attributes except "customer" attributes

Find privileged user

• Use a key to uniquely lookup a user in the backing store as a sufficiently privileged user and then use the authorization characteristics of that user for all subsequent requests.

Social B2C/Website

Scenario

Bob is interested in using the ACME CD Swapr website to connect to folks locally and nationally to swap CDs and participate in music oriented meet-ups. Bob may also Buy new CDs through the ACME CD/MP3 store. First, Bob checks the Google Maps mash-up that shows the number of ACME CD Swapr members in his City and the surrounding zip codes. Bob thinks the members in his city are sparse, but just there are a bunch of members just down the road in Medfield. Bob enrols and creates a profile. Bob can access the CD/MP3 store with his free "Bronze" membership. but to link to other folks in the area, Bob needs to upgrade to the "Silver" level for $9.99 a month through the on-line upgrade program. Now Bob can browse the network for folks near by and send "friend" requests via the nick-name displayed. Bob sends Alice a friend request. She accepts. Bob can now see Alice home address and phone number and the list of CDs she is looking to swap. Bob can also see Alice has Ted as a friend, Bob can not see Ted's contact information, but he can see that Ted is willing to swap any of his AC/DC collection of CDs for Amy Winehouse. Bob sends Ted a friend request.

Use cases

• Unauthenticated user of a social website or B2C portal can create a limited profile with a subset of attributes needed to enroll into the service
• User of a social/B2C website can view all attributes of their profile
• User of a social website can update most attributes of their profile: phone number and email, but not membership level
• Friends of the User can view the entire profile
• Friends of friends can only see limited profile
• The rest of the "Unfriendly" network can only see "city/zip", "nick name", and "Photo" (default policy for authenticated users)
• Anyone outside the network can only see "city/zip" (default policy for unauthenticated users)
• Help desk administer of social/B2C site can update most attributes (group based role)
• Business application can update membership level attribute (agent or group based role)

See Also

• Access Control in IdAS

Links

• Higgins Home