Network Defense Essentials (NDE) Practice Exam

What type of authorization is characterized by a single database to manage access permissions for applications and resources?

1. Decentralized Authorization

2. Centralized Authorization

3. Role-based Access Control

4. Time-based Access Control

The correct answer is: Centralized Authorization

Centralized Authorization is characterized by the use of a single database or system to manage access permissions for applications and resources. This approach allows for a unified method to maintain and enforce security policies across an organization. With centralized authorization, user identities and their corresponding permissions are managed in one location, simplifying the administration of access controls and ensuring that security measures are consistently applied throughout different applications and resources. This model enhances efficiency since IT administrators can easily manage permissions, monitor access logs, and implement changes to user roles without having to update multiple systems or databases. Additionally, it can improve security by minimizing potential vulnerabilities that could arise from decentralized systems where permissions are handled independently across various applications, which could lead to inconsistencies or loopholes in access management. In contrast, decentralized authorization distributes the management of access permissions across numerous systems or databases, which can lead to increased complexity and potential security risks. Role-based Access Control and Time-based Access Control refer to specific methods of managing permissions rather than the structure of authorization, focusing on roles assigned to users or time constraints on access, rather than the centralized or decentralized nature of the authorization system itself.