What does DACL mean in UNCLASSIFIED

A Discretionary Access Control List (DACL) is a set of rules used to manage access control in a computing system. It defines who has access to specific resources, at which level and under what conditions those resources can be accessed.

DACLs are typically implemented using Access Control Lists (ACLs), which contain permission entries for each user or group of users who have access rights for specific resources. These permission entries include the type of access (e.g., read-only, full-access) as well as any special restrictions (e.g., time limits). Once configured, these ACLs are applied across all devices within an organization's computing environment so that they consistently enforce the same access control rules everywhere.

A Discretionary Access Control List can restrict various types of actions, including creating new files, opening existing files, modifying existing files, deleting files and copying or transferring files from one place to another. It can also restrict network activities such as logging into certain systems or accessing certain websites.

In most cases, it is the system administrator who sets up the rules for a Discretionary Access Control List, but other users may be granted permission by the administrator if needed. The specific rules depend on the requirements of the organization and must be updated regularly to reflect changes in user roles or security policies.

A Discretionary Access Control List helps administrators ensure that each user only has appropriate levels of access based on their role in the organization. It also helps protect organizational security and data integrity by preventing unauthorized users from accessing sensitive information or making unwanted changes to system configurations.