1.1 Introduction
In computer security, window access control (WAC) refers to a type of access control which the operating system (OS) constrains the ability of a subject or initiator to access or generally perform some sort of operation on an object or target. In practice, a subject is usually a process or thread; objects are constructs such as files, directories, TCP/UDP ports, shared memory segments, input and output devices etc. Subjects and objects each have a set of security attributes. Whenever a subject attempts to access an object, an authorization rule enforced by the operating system kennel examines these security attributes and decides whether the access can take place. The access control decision is enforced by a mechanism implementing regulations established by a security policy. Window Access control is concerned with determining the allowed activities of legitimate users, sensitivity level and the clearance level of the user accessing the system (Hu et al., 2006). To assure the safety of an access control system, it is essential to make certain that the access control configuration will not result in the leakage of permissions to an unauthorized principal. The objectives of the window access control system are often described in terms of protecting system resources against inappropriate or undesired user access.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Many application programs demand too many privileges, more than strictly necessary to access the data on which they operate. Logical model of Windows XP access control, in a declarative but executable (Datalog) format. Some individuals have built a scanner that reads access-control configuration information from the Windows registry, file system, and service control manager database, and feeds raw configuration data to the model.
Adequate security of information and information systems is a fundamental management responsibility. Nearly all applications that deal with financial, privacy, safety, or defense include some form of access control. Access control is concerned with determining the allowed activities of legitimate users, mediating every attempt by a user to access a resource in the system. In some systems, complete access is granted after successful authentication of the user, but most systems require more sophisticated and complex control. In some cases, authorization may mirror the structure of the organization, while in others it may be based on the sensitivity level of various documents and the clearance level of the user accessing those documents. When we run this on a typical Windows installation managed by a careful systems administrator, and several exploitable user-to-administrator and guest-to-any-user vulnerabilities caused by mis-configurations in the default installation of software from Adobe, AOL, Macromedia, Microsoft and some anonymous vendors.
Any operation by any subject on any object will be tested against the set of authorization rules (aka policy) to determine if the operation is allowed. According to Pete Sclafani (2002), database management system, in its access control mechanism, can also apply window access control. With window access control, this security policy is centrally controlled by a security policy administrator. Users do not have the ability to override the policy to grant access to files that would otherwise be restricted. By contrast, discretionary access control (DAC), which also governs the ability of subjects to access objects, allows users the ability to make policy decisions or assign security attributes.
WAC-enabled systems allow policy administrators to implement organization-wide security policies. Unlike with DAC, users cannot override or modify this policy, either accidentally or intentionally. This allows security administrators to define a central policy that is guaranteed (in principle) to be enforced for all users.
Early security strategies enabled enforcement guarantees that were dependable in the face of national lab level attacks. More recently, with the advent of implementations such as SELinux (incorporated into Linux kernels, Window Integrity Control (incorporated into Windows Vista and newer), and window schemes derived from the FreeBSD WAC Framework in OS, iOS, and Junos, WAC has started to become more mainstream and is evolving out of the MLS niche. These more recent WAC implementations have recognized that the narrow TCSEC definition, focused as it was on MLS, is too specific for general use Cavale M., and McPherson D., (2003). These implementations provide more depth and flexibility than earlier MLS-focused implementations, allowing (for example) administrators to focus on issues such as network attacks and malware without the rigor or constraints of MLS systems.
1.3 Statement of Problem
Investigation revealed that window access control system with access controls has historically implied a very high degree of robustness that assures that the control mechanisms resist subversion, thereby enabling them to enforce an access control policy that is mandated by some regulation that must be absolutely enforced for classified information.
For WAC, the access control decision is contingent on verifying the compatibility of the security properties of the data and the clearance properties of the individual (or the process proxying for the individual). The decision depends on the integrity of the metadata (e.g. label) that defines the security properties of the data, as well as the security clearance of the individual or process requesting access.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of the study is to design and implement a Window Access Control System. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to develop an application software that will:
- Provide and to promote the level of security measure in an organization and in individual household.
- Help to secure unauthorized access to the computer system file or important document.
- Protect the computer from been access in such a way that intruders are not given a bit chance to introduce themselves to the computer system.
- Enforces user authentication and authorization for users of m-desk, and thereby solve the problems derived from the fact that the DICOM standard does not specify a way to place restrictions on the resources a PACS may provide.
1.5 Significance of Study
Obviously the design of this window access control system is expected to be a guard to any unauthorized access to computer files without adequate permission from the administrator. It help will the organization to be able to secure their document and files from been access by unknown users.
This window access control system will help to restore the clients and organization goodwill’s about keeping their file and relevant document. To some organization or individual who might likely prefer having their document save in the computer will be to relief from fact of fear of sabotage. The research will go a long way to alleviate the problem fraud in financial industries. With the advent of this idea or development, files and important document are solely secured.
1.6 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Design and Implementation of a Window Access Control System. The scope is covered from developing a software that will carry out the operation.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.8 Definition of Terms
Window Access Control: Window Access control is the process of mediating every request to resources and data maintained by a system and determining whether the request should be granted or denied in a computer system.
Access: This way or an opportunity for someone to use something either in a negative or positive way.
Window: this is an operating system which is an interface or bridge between computer hardware and software.
