In Mandatory Access Control (MAC), who manages permissions to objects?

In a Mandatory Access Control (MAC) environment, permissions to objects are managed by a central authority rather than the individual owners of the objects. This means that the control over who can access or manipulate system resources is enforced through a policy that dictates how access permissions are set and maintained.

In MAC, decisions about access rights are typically based on security labels or classifications associated with both subjects (users) and objects (files, resources). The system assigns these classifications and makes access decisions based on established policies. This level of control is crucial for maintaining stringent security, particularly in environments where data confidentiality and integrity are paramount, such as military or government systems.

Therefore, the central authority's role is to ensure consistent application of these security policies, preventing object owners or other users from unilaterally changing access controls, which could compromise the security posture of the system. This aspect of MAC distinguishes it from other models, such as Discretionary Access Control (DAC), where object owners have the flexibility to set permissions as they see fit.