Context-aware role-based access control in pervasive computing systems

Abstract

In this paper we present a context-aware RBAC (CARBAC) model for pervasive computing applications. The design of this model has been guided by the context-based access control requirements of such applications. These requirements are related to users' memberships in roles, permission executions by role members, and context-based dynamic integration of services in the environment with an application. Context information is used in role admission policies, in policies related to permission executions by role members, and in policies related to accessing of dynamically interfaced services by role members. The dynamic nature of context information requires model-level support for revocations of role memberships and permission activations when certain context conditions fail to hold. Based on this model we present a programming framework for building context-aware applications, providing mechanisms for specifying and enforcing context-based access control requirements.