Security Access Control Models for Schools

This blog will cover multiple aspects of building an access control model based on Role Based Access Control (RBAC) and Attribute Based Access Control (ABAC). This includes steps needed to role mine and analyze access permissions across multiple systems, review what data is available in your HR and Student Information System, and how to implement your access control model in an automated user provisioning solution.

What are RBAC and ABAC for Schools?

RBAC and ABAC can help build an access control model for schools, as they provide a framework for controlling access to resources based on specific roles and attributes.

In the case of RBAC, schools can define roles for different types of users, such as students, teachers, administrators, and support staff. Permissions can then be assigned to each role based on the responsibilities and tasks associated with that role. For example, teachers may be granted permission to access student records, while students may be given permission to access educational resources or specific areas of the school. RBAC simplifies access control administration by enabling the creation, modification, and revocation of roles and permissions. In addition, it allows for quickly adding or removing users from roles as their roles change.

In the case of ABAC, access control policies can be defined based on attributes such as user identity, location, and time of day. For example, a policy could be created to grant access to the school’s computer lab only to students currently enrolled in a computer science course. In addition, ABAC policies are more granular than RBAC, as they allow for more complex conditions to be defined. This can be useful in schools where access control needs are more complex and require more fine-grained control.

Both RBAC and ABAC can help schools to ensure that resources are only accessed by authorized users and can help to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data or areas of the school. However, the choice between RBAC and ABAC will depend on the specific needs and requirements of the school, as well as the complexity of the access control policies that need to be implemented.

What is an Access Control Model for Schools?

An IT department’s access control model (aka role model) for a school is a framework that defines the different roles and responsibilities of staff members and students concerning their access permissions and entitlements to different systems and applications. The access control model helps to ensure that users have the appropriate level of access to the systems and applications required to carry out their responsibilities within the school system.

It is important to separate teacher and student access permissions and entitlements in the access control model for several reasons:

1. Teachers require access to a broader range of systems and applications, such as grading and administrative tools, than students.
2. The type of access and entitlements teachers require are generally more complex than those students require. For example, a teacher may need to be able to view and edit a student’s grades, while a student may only need access to view their grades.
3. Separating teacher and student access permissions and entitlements helps to ensure that the school’s data and systems are kept secure by limiting access to sensitive information.

By building an IT department’s access control model that separates teacher and student access permissions and entitlements, schools can ensure that the appropriate level of access is granted to each group, promoting an efficient and secure learning environment. In addition, the access control model helps ensure that staff members and students have access to the systems and applications required to perform their duties while protecting sensitive data and maintaining system security.

Steps to Building an Access Control Model in Schools

In today’s digital age, schools must have adequate IT systems to manage user access and permissions across multiple systems. When separating teachers and students, ensuring that each group has appropriate access to systems and applications is essential. One practical approach is to build an IT department’s process to role mine access permissions across multiple systems to build an access control model.

Here are the most critical steps to take when doing so:

1. Define the scope: Identify the systems and applications that need to be included in the access control model. This could include the school’s learning management system, student information system, and other platforms used by teachers and students. Consider the number of users, the complexity of the systems, and the level of access required for each group.
2. Identify stakeholders: Involve key stakeholders from across the school community, including IT, security, and both teacher and student groups. Understand their needs and concerns to ensure the access control model aligns with the school’s goals.
3. Gather data: Collect data on user roles, access permissions, and entitlements from all the identified systems. This data can be gathered from an HR and student information system. This data will serve as the foundation for the access control model.
4. Analyze the data: Analyze the data to identify patterns and relationships between user roles, access permissions, and entitlements. This analysis will help to identify commonalities and differences across the systems and inform the development of the access control model.
5. Develop the access control model: Use the data analysis to develop an access control model that defines the different roles in the school community and the access permissions and entitlements associated with each role. Ensure that the access control model is flexible and adaptable to future school needs changes.
6. Test the access control model: Test the access control model to ensure that it is accurate and effective in managing access across the identified systems. Identify any gaps or inconsistencies and make necessary adjustments.
7. Implement the access control model: Implement the access control model across the identified systems, ensuring that access permissions and entitlements are aligned with the defined roles. Communicate the changes to users and provide training and support to ensure a smooth transition.
8. Monitor and maintain the access control model: Regularly monitor and maintain the access control model to ensure it remains up-to-date and effective in managing access across the systems. Identify and address any issues or inconsistencies that arise.

Building an access control model in today’s complex environments has many factors that must be considered. For example, what to mine, how to build, and how to implement. The above steps will help you navigate the challenges of building a streamlined access control model. It is also important to remember to build your access control model in a way that utilizes data from your HR or Student Information System to implement the access control model properly. Learn how our NexGen Identity Management solution, NIM, can automate the role mining and generation process.

Utilizing HR and SIS Data within your Access Control Model

HR and student information systems are valuable data sources that can be used to build school access control models. These systems can provide detailed information about the roles and responsibilities of different staff members and the grades and classes of students.

Some of the critical types of information that can be used from these systems to build access control models include:

1. Employee job title: Staff members’ job titles can help define their roles and responsibilities within the school system. This information can be used to determine the appropriate level of access to different systems and applications.
2. Employee department: The department, or team, a staff member belongs to can provide additional context for their role within the school system. This information can be used to define the access permissions and entitlements associated with different teams or departments.
3. Employee location: A staff member’s work location can provide information about the physical systems and applications they need access to. For example, staff members working in a specific building may need access to building security systems.
4. Student grade level: Students’ grade level can be used to define their access permissions and entitlements. For example, older students may be granted access to more advanced systems and applications than younger students.
5. Student course enrollment: The courses that students are enrolled in can provide additional context for their access permissions and entitlements. For example, students taking advanced courses in technology may be granted access to more advanced systems and applications.

By using data from HR and student information systems, schools can build comprehensive access control models that reflect staff members’ and students’ unique needs and responsibilities. This approach helps to ensure that each group has the appropriate access to systems and applications and promotes a secure and effective learning environment.

Implementing Your Access Control Model with an Automated User Provisioning Solution

Once you have built your access control model, you can use it with your automated user provisioning solution (aka Identity Management) to streamline the process of granting and revoking access permissions and entitlements.

Automated user provisioning solutions use the IT department access control model to automatically assign access permissions and entitlements to new users based on their defined roles and responsibilities. This eliminates the need for manual intervention in the user provisioning process, reducing the potential for human error and increasing the speed and efficiency of the process.

When a new user is added to the school system, the automated user provisioning solution will check their role against the IT department access control model and automatically grant them the appropriate level of access to the relevant systems and applications. Similarly, when a user’s role changes, the automated user provisioning solution will automatically adjust their access permissions and entitlements accordingly.

Schools can also use automated provisioning software to run reports on their access control model to monitor its effectiveness of the access control model. This provides real-time insights into access attempts and identifies potential weaknesses. By using automated provisioning software to monitor access control, schools can better protect their resources and ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive data and areas of the school.

Here are some basic steps to adding your Access Control Model to your Automated Provisioning solution:

1. Configure the access control model in the provisioning software: The first step is configuring the access control model in the automated provisioning software. This involves setting up roles, permissions, and access control policies that define who can access what resources.
2. Define what needs to be monitored: The next step is to define what needs to be monitored, such as which resources or areas of the school need to be restricted and which users should have access.
3. Generate reports: Once the access control model is configured, schools can use the automated provisioning software to generate reports on access control. Reports can provide information on access attempts, successful and unsuccessful logins, and any violations of access control policies.
4. Analyze the reports: Schools should analyze the reports to identify any patterns or trends that may indicate a weakness in the access control model. For example, if there are frequent access attempts from unauthorized users, this may indicate a weakness in the access control model.
5. Take corrective action: If any weaknesses are identified, schools should take corrective action to improve the access control model. This could involve modifying access control policies, revoking user access, or implementing additional security measures.

In conclusion, by using an automated user provisioning solution in conjunction with the IT department access control model, schools can ensure that access permissions and entitlements are granted and revoked promptly and efficiently. This reduces the potential for security breaches and improves the overall system security. In addition, this approach helps ensure that staff members and students have the necessary access to the systems and applications required to perform their duties while protecting sensitive data and maintaining system security.

Want to learn more about RBAC, ABAC, or Access Control Models for schools? Contact us to leverage our 20+ years of experience in Identity Management for K-12 and Higher Ed.