Completeness, Versatility, and Practicality in Role–Based Administration

Applying role–based administration to role–based access control systems has gained some attention in recent literature. Scoped Administration for Role–Based Access Control (SARBAC) puts forward what is claimed to be a complete, versatile, and practical role–based administrative model. These attributes are deemed to be key for SARBAC’s dynamic, flexible nature. However, SARBAC shuns alternative approaches to role–based administration. One such alternative, Graph– Based Formalism, is hastily dismissed on the basis that it is not complete, versatile, and practical. This term paper looks at Graph–Based Formalism (in particular, using administrative scope in graph–based frameworks) from the completeness, versatility, and practicality perspectives, as defined in SARBAC literature. It discusses whether it is reasonable to dismiss Graph–Based Formalism in favour of SARBAC in the light of these attributes.