Security Descriptor

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What Does Security Descriptor Mean?

A security descriptor can be defined as a data structure that consists of security information about securable objects that can be recognized by their distinct names. It is made up of a discretionary access control list that contains access control entries that grant or deny access to individuals or groups.

Techopedia Explains Security Descriptor

Security descriptors primarily provide security information regarding objects. The security descriptor limits or grants access to the concerned personnel or groups depending on their authorization to view or edit that object. It also contains information about the ownership of the object, individuals and groups who are granted access, or the ones to whom access is prohibited, and the path from where the objects in a container inherit access control information. Some common examples of security descriptors include discretionary access control lists (DACL), access control entries (ACE) and or system access control lists (SACL).

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.

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