Decentralized access control using hyperledger fabric

Abstract

Traditional access control systems often use the extensible access control markup language (XACML), a widely adopted standard for defining and enforcing access control policies. XACML is flexible and compatible with various access control models. It comprises key components such as the Policy Decision Point (PDP), Policy Enforcement Point (PEP), Policy Administration Point (PAP), and Policy Information Point (PIP), which are centrally managed in traditional setups. However, this central management introduces vulnerabilities like Single Point of Failure (SPOF) and other security risks. This research addresses these challenges by proposing a decentralized access control architecture built on Hyperledger Fabric. The design distributes the four core components of XACML - PEP, PDP, PAP, and PIP- across multiple blockchain nodes, eliminating SPOF while enhancing scalability and data integrity. A proof of concept (PoC) implementation is developed to evaluate the system's performance. The architecture and PoC are analyzed against predefined threats and requirements, demonstrating how the system delivers a secure, scalable, and resilient access control solution.