Policy-based authorization
made simple
Decouple authorization from your application code. Define policies once,
enforce everywhere with OPA-powered decisions and AuthZEN compliance.
A european authorization platform
Built with privacy, security, and digital sovereignty in mind.
package authz
default allow = false
allow {
input.user.role == "admin"
}
allow {
input.action == "read"
input.resource.owner == input.user.id
}
Policy-based authorization for developers
Treat authorization like code: Review changes via pull requests, test policies before rollout, and roll back instantly if needed. GitOps-friendly workflows help engineering and security teams collaborate without slowing delivery, especially when multiple services share the same authorization layer. For a deeper dive into policy-based authorization (PBAC) and how it compares to role-based models, see our PBAC guide.
Authorization that scales with you
Everything you need to implement robust, policy-driven authorization across your entire stack.
Policy as code
Define authorization with declarative Rego policies. Version, test, and audit rules like code. Enforce RBAC, ABAC, and PBAC without hardcoding permissions into applications.
Decoupled architecture
Separate authorization decisions from your application. Update policies without redeploying your services.
AuthZEN compliant
Built on the OpenID AuthZEN standard. Interoperable with any AuthZEN-compatible authorization system.
Zero Trust ready
Fine-grained authorization. Verify every request with contextual authorization decisions.
Ultra-low latency
Optimized OPA runtime with intelligent caching. Make authorization decisions without impacting user experience.
Multi-tenant support
Isolate policies per tenant while sharing common rules. Perfect for SaaS applications at any scale.
Policy-based authorization in three steps
From policy definition to production deployment in minutes, not months.
Define Your Policies
Write authorization rules in Rego, OPA’s policy language. Express complex logic with simple, readable policies.
allow {
input.user.department == "engineering"
input.action in ["read", "write"]
input.resource.type == "code"
}
$ cidaas policy push ./policies
✓ Validated 12 policies
✓ Deployed to 3 regions
✓ Active in 847ms
Deploy to cidaas Authorization
Push your policies to cidaas Authorization. We handle distribution, versioning, and hot-reloading across all your services.
Query via AuthZEN
Make authorization requests using the standard AuthZEN API. Simple REST calls return instant allow/deny decisions. Context and attributes can be provided by your PIP (e.g., HR system, directory, device posture) while your IDP handles authentication.
POST /access/v1/evaluation
{
"subject": { "id": "user-123" },
"action": { "name": "write" },
"resource": { "type": "document" }
}
Open standards, no vendor lock-in
cidaas authorization is built on proven, open technologies. Your policies and integrations are portable.
Open Policy Agent
The industry-standard policy engine. Write policies in Rego and leverage a mature ecosystem of tools, libraries, and community support. Run policy checks close to your workloads (containers/Kubernetes) or centrally via a managed PDP.
AuthZEN
The OpenID Foundation’s authorization API standard. Interoperable, vendor-neutral interface for authorization decisions.
Enterprise-grade compliance
Built to meet enterprise and regulatory requirements with a strong focus on security, privacy, and digital sovereignty. Audit-ready authorization: policy versioning, decision logs, and traceable allow/deny outcomes for regulated environments.
Policy-based authorization and digital sovereignty
Digital sovereignty in authorization means staying in control of who can access what – under clear jurisdiction and transparent policies. As a European platform, cidaas is hosted and operated in Germany and Europe under European law, keeping identity and access governance within the EU legal protection framework. Organizations define the rules and retain control over access policies, while sovereignty and security are enforced through a policy-driven approach and Zero Trust principles.
Ready to secure your authorization
layer?
Start with our free tier. No credit card required. Upgrade when you need more policies,
SLA, or enterprise features.
Free tier includes 1,000 authorization requests/month • Unlimited policies • Community support
FAQs: Policy-based authorization
What is policy-based authorization?
Policy-based authorization externalizes access decisions into reusable policies. Applications ask for an allow or deny decision instead of embedding authorization logic directly in code.
How does policy-based authorization relate to PBAC, RBAC, and ABAC?
RBAC and ABAC describe models (roles vs. attributes). Policy-based authorization is the delivery mechanism that can implement RBAC, ABAC, or PBAC consistently across applications—without duplicating logic.
Where do IDP and PIP fit in an authorization architecture?
The IDP authenticates users and issues identity tokens. A PIP supplies additional attributes/context (e.g., department, risk signals) used during policy evaluation, while the PDP returns the final authorization decision.
How is AuthZEN used in production systems?
AuthZEN standardizes authorization requests between services and tools. This makes integrations portable and reduces custom “one-off” authorization APIs across teams.
When should teams externalize authorization instead of coding it per app?
When permissions change often, multiple services must share the same rules, or auditability matters. Central policies reduce drift, accelerate updates, and simplify compliance reporting.
