18. Discretionary Access Control (DAC)

Discretionary Access Control (DAC)

DAC is an access control model where the owner of an object decides who can access it and what they can do with it. Users with access may be able to share information, grant privileges, or change permissions on the objects they own.

Where It Is Used

It is commonly used in many operating systems and file-sharing environments. Access is often managed through access control lists or capability lists.

Flexibility

DAC is flexible because the object owner controls access decisions directly.

Management Challenges

It is less scalable because access decisions depend on individual owners. This can make control harder to manage and review.

Main Idea

DAC lets the object owner control access, making it flexible but harder to manage at scale.