Ontology-Based Authorization Model for XML Data in Distributed Systems

Abstract

This research work proposes a Semantic-Aware Authorization Framework, called SAAF, for applying syntax independent authorization on eXtensible Markup Language (XML) documents. Our model supports secure data sharing in an open environment without the need for a centralized authority and supports application flexibility. We propose the use of data and application semantics, expressed as Resource Description Framework (RDF) ontologies, to specify security requirements for XML documents. XML documents are associated with their semantics (RDF ontologies) via mappings. The authors use these mappings and the corresponding RDF authorizations models to generate access control permissions for the mapped XML documents. The SAAF ensures the preservation of authorization permissions on XML data even if the syntax and the structure of the data are changed. Their method also aids the detection and removal of inconsistent authorizations on structurally different but semantically similar XML data.