RBAC

What it is:

RBAC, or Role-Based Access Control, is an access management model that grants permissions based on a user’s role within an organization rather than assigning privileges individually. Roles are mapped to specific access rights, and users inherit permissions by being assigned to those roles. In IAM and CIAM systems, RBAC provides a scalable way to manage user access across applications, APIs, and infrastructure.

Why it matters:

RBAC simplifies access governance and reduces administrative overhead by centralizing permission management. Instead of manually assigning or revoking individual rights, access can be managed by adjusting role memberships. For regulated industries such as banking, fintech, and insurance, RBAC supports compliance with standards like PCI DSS, SOC2, and MAS TRM by enforcing least privilege and simplifying audit trails. When combined with Adaptive Security and Zero Trust models, RBAC enhances security posture by ensuring that users only access what they are explicitly authorized to.

How it works:

• Role Hierarchies & Mapping: Roles are defined based on job functions (e.g., Teller, Manager, Admin). Permissions are mapped to roles, and users are assigned to one or more roles within the IAM system.

• Policy Enforcement: Access requests are evaluated against the user’s assigned role(s). Modern RBAC systems integrate with IAM Journeys and policy engines to enforce fine-grained access control in real time.

• Integration with CIAM: In CIAM scenarios, RBAC can be extended to partner and customer ecosystems, assigning access levels to customer tiers or business partners.

• Hybrid Models: Many enterprises combine RBAC with Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) and Adaptive Security to provide contextual, risk-aware access decisions beyond static roles.