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Policy Engines

Centralized systems that evaluate rules and enforce access control decisions dynamically

Resolving Policy Conflicts

When multiple policies apply to the same request, they might conflict. One policy says allow, another says deny. Policy engines need a conflict resolution strategy to decide which rule wins.

Common Strategies

Deny Overrides

If any policy says deny, access is denied. Most secure, least flexible.

Default in AWS IAM, most security systems

Allow Overrides

If any policy says allow, access is granted. More permissive, less secure.

Used when explicit grants should win

Priority-Based

Policies have priorities. Highest priority wins. Most flexible, more complex.

Used in Cedar, custom engines

Interactive: Test Conflict Resolution

Explore real conflict scenarios and see how different strategies resolve them:

Select Scenario

Role vs Resource Policy Conflict

User has admin role (allow all) but resource is marked confidential (deny access)

ALLOWRole: Admin grants full access
DENYResource: Confidential data blocks access
Choose Resolution Strategy

Choosing a Strategy

Security-First: Deny Overrides

Choose this when security is paramount. Any restriction blocks access. Best for regulated industries, financial systems, healthcare.

Flexibility: Priority-Based

Choose this when you need fine-grained control. Define policy hierarchies. Best for complex organizations with many policy sources.

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Best Practice

Most production systems use deny overrides as the default strategy. It is the most secure and easiest to reason about. Use priority-based resolution only when you have clear policy hierarchies and need flexibility. Document your resolution strategy clearly so all policy authors understand how conflicts are handled.

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