How to Choose Between RBAC, ABAC, and PBAC for Modern Identity Security

Read full article from Descope here:  https://www.descope.com/blog/post/rbac-abac-pbac/?utm_source=nhimg

Organizations depend on secure, scalable authorization models to protect applications and data. This article compares RBAC (Role-Based Access Control), ABAC (Attribute-Based Access Control), and PBAC (Policy-Based Access Control)—three of the most widely used approaches to modern access control—and explains how to choose the right model for your environment.

• RBAC assigns access using predefined roles, making it simple, predictable, and easy to audit. It works best for organizations with stable roles and low complexity.
• ABAC takes a more dynamic approach, evaluating user, resource, and environmental attributes to allow fine-grained access decisions. It offers flexibility but requires strong governance and well-maintained attributes.
• PBAC centralizes all authorization decisions under unified policies that combine roles, attributes, and context. It’s ideal for multi-cloud or complex, compliance-heavy environments that need consistent enforcement across systems.

The article highlights when to choose each model:

• Choose RBAC for simplicity, predictable roles, and easy auditing.
• Choose ABAC for dynamic environments or granular compliance needs.
• Choose PBAC for centralized governance and cross-platform policy alignment.

Many organizations benefit from a hybrid approach, using RBAC for common access, ABAC for sensitive data, and PBAC as the orchestration layer across environments.

By understanding organizational structure, compliance demands, technical capacity, and future scalability, teams can select the model—or combination—that delivers the right balance of security, flexibility, and operational efficiency.