What is used in mission critical systems to lock down information based on sensitivity levels?

Mandatory Access Control (MAC) is a security model used in mission-critical systems to enforce strict access controls based on predefined sensitivity levels of information. In a MAC environment, access to resources is determined by the system based on the sensitivity of the information and the user’s clearance level. This is particularly important in environments requiring high security, such as government or military applications, where users cannot decide who has access to the data.

Under MAC, information is classified into various sensitivity levels, and users are granted permissions based on their assigned clearance. This minimizes the risk of unauthorized access and helps maintain data confidentiality and integrity by ensuring that only individuals with the appropriate security clearance can access sensitive information.

By contrast, the other access control models do not provide the same level of enforcement regarding sensitivity levels. Discretionary Access Control allows users to control access to their own resources, which can lead to less restrictive access. Strategic Access Control and Limited Access Control are not widely recognized frameworks for locking down information and do not specifically address the concept of sensitivity levels. Thus, MAC is the ideal approach for scenarios involving mission-critical systems where data sensitivity is a crucial concern.