Page 159 - CISSO_Prep_ Guide

MAC

Mandatory access control systems are rarely found outside of
military and intelligence networks. MAC systems are very
expensive to set up and maintain and require substantial physical
and procedural controls.

A MAC system still requires the consent of the asset owner to
grant permissions, but the second level of access controls based
on labels also must be satisfied, or access will not be granted.
The labels are based on the classification of the object (set by
the object owner) and the clearance of the user (usually set by a
security administrator). This supports the separation of duties
and is a check and balance to ensure that access would not be
granted in error or in violation of policy by the owner of the
system.

The principles of MAC and DAC were outlined in the old
Orange Book (TCSEC) that set out the criteria for evaluating the
security of information systems.

Attacks on Access Control Systems
Every system must be built with the expectation that it will be
attacked. This especially applies to access control systems since
they manage access to most systems and provide the point of an
attack for an unauthorized user attempting to gain access. There
are many types of attacks - from password cracking to physical
penetration, and from low-level social engineering to highly
technical advanced persistent threats (APTs).