The hottest Authorization Substack posts right now

Migrating authorization logic from an old system to a new one can take a long time and requires careful planning to avoid errors.
Each part of a business can manage its own authorization rules, making it easier for them to control access based on their specific needs.
As systems grow, it's important to keep improving and adapting to new challenges, like optimizing runtime decisions and better analyzing access logs.

Different users need different access levels in apps. It's important to plan what each type of user should see and do.
Internal users, like employees, also need access to applications but have different requirements than regular end users.
It's crucial to have a balanced approach to permissions management. This means sharing responsibilities to avoid bottlenecks and inefficiency in the system.

Fine-Grained Authorization (FGA) is a better way to manage user permissions in a system. It allows specific users to have certain actions on specific resources, making access control simpler and more organized.
Relationship-Based Access Control (ReBAC) focuses on the connections between users and resources instead of just roles. It builds a graph to show these relationships, but it can be complicated and difficult to maintain.
Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) uses attributes of users and resources to determine access, making it flexible and easier to implement. It allows for clear policy definitions without needing to change how users interact with the system.

APIs are now seen more as tools that users consume rather than just things developers create. This shift means we have to think about how APIs are used and managed from both ends.
As APIs are used more, especially with AI, monitoring costs and handling errors are super important. Developers need to be careful about how many calls they make to avoid big bills and errors.
The way we set permissions and handle security for APIs is changing. It's crucial to apply consistent security rules across all parts of an application, not just in isolated areas.

Authentication is about proving who you are. It's like showing your ID before entering a building.
Authorization is about what you are allowed to do. It's like having a VIP pass that lets you access certain areas.
Both authentication and authorization are important for keeping applications secure. They help protect personal data and maintain trust with users.

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Identity is simply who you are. It's what makes you unique as a person.
Authentication is about proving that you are who you say you are. This can be done by checking an ID or other ways.
Authorization comes after authentication and decides what you can access or do. It's like a doorman letting you into a bar after checking your ID.

Customer identity and access management (CIAM) has mostly solved identity issues, but access control remains a significant challenge. Many companies need robust authorization systems that are often built from scratch.
There's a growing number of vendors and open-source solutions that simplify authorization for developers. Tools like Topaz help them set up these systems without reinventing the wheel.
The future of CIAM looks promising with efforts to standardize authorization processes, much like what was done for authentication. By 2030, we can expect engineers to use standardized systems for authorization that will integrate seamlessly into their applications.