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Glossary · Security

AAA

Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting

In plain language

Three steps of access control: confirm who you are, decide what you can do, and keep a record of what you did.

The metaphor

Like a hotel: the front desk checks your ID, your keycard opens only your floor, and a log notes each time you enter.

Going deeper

How it works

  • Authentication checks identity, such as a password and a code.
  • Authorization sets what that person may reach.
  • Accounting records the activity afterward.
  • Together they let you answer who did what and when.

How WILDCARD handles it

Cloud covers sign-in settings, permissions and sign-in logs in your Microsoft 365 or Google workspace.

In practice
  • A firm uses sign-in logs to see who opened a client file.
  • A clinic restricts billing data by role.
  • An owner reviews a log after a suspicious login.

A question owners ask

Why does logging matter if nothing has gone wrong?

Logs are what you rely on to learn what happened when something does.

Where WILDCARD handles this
Cloud
Start with Cloud
Related terms
ACLAccess Control ListAdmin accountAESAdvanced Encryption StandardAES-256Advanced Encryption Standards 256-bitAIArtificial IntelligenceAPIApplication Programming InterfaceBiometricsBYODBring Your Own Device

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