A framework for role-based access control in group communication systems

In this paper we analyze the requirements access control mechanisms must fulfill in the context of group communication and define a framework for supporting fine-grained access control in client-server group communication systems. Our framework combines role-based access control mechanisms with environment parameters (time, IP address, etc.) to provide support for a wide range of applications with very different requirements. While the access control policy is defined by the application, its efficient enforcement is performed by the group communication system.