capability

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capability

An operating system security or access control model where specific types of access to a specific object are granted by giving a process this data structure or token.

The token may be unforgeable (typically by using encryption or hardware "tagged" memory). Capabilities are used in OSes such as Hydra, KeyKOS, EROS, Chorus/Mix, and the Stanford V system. Similar to Kerberos, but in an OS context.

Compare access control list.

(1998-03-08)