Attribute-based access control (ABAC) is a sophisticated method for managing access rights that considers user attributes, resource attributes, and environmental conditions. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has established a standard for ABAC, providing a framework for its secure and consistent implementation.

Beginning with ONTAP 9.12.1, you can configure ONTAP with NFSv4.2 Security Labels and Extended Attributes (XATTRS) so that it can be integrated with a role-based access control (RBAC) and attribute-based access control (ABAC) identity. This integration allows ONTAP to access control software that is categorized as a NIST ABAC-compliant data management solution, offering a robust and advanced approach to managing access rights in complex environments including Policy Enforcement Point (PEP), a Policy Decision Point (PDP), and policies that consider attributes associated with the user, the resource, and the environment.

The integration of NetApp ONTAP with extended attributes (XATTRS) and Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) software is in alignment with the guidelines set forth in NIST Special Publication 800-162, ensuring compliance with the NIST standards for ABAC implementation. The use of NFS 4.2 Security Labels and XATTRS allows for the association of user-defined attributes with files, meeting the NIST ABAC standard's requirement for considering resource attributes in access control decisions. The ABAC software's PEP and PDP align with the NIST ABAC standard's requirement for these components in the access control process. The ability to define complex policies that consider multiple attributes and conditions aligns with the NIST ABAC standard's requirement for policy-based access control.