What is Authorization?
The process of determining what actions or resources a verified user is allowed to access. It answers 'What are you allowed to do?' after authentication.
In plain English
If authentication is the bouncer checking your ID at the door, authorization is the wristband system inside the venue. A general admission wristband lets you onto the floor, but only a VIP wristband gets you into the backstage area.
How it works
After a user is authenticated, the system checks their permissions before fulfilling any request. This can be role-based (admin, editor, viewer), attribute-based (department, subscription tier), or resource-based (you can edit your own posts but not others'). Authorization checks happen on every API call — not just at login.
Why it matters for AI-built apps
Broken access control is the #1 vulnerability on the OWASP Top 10. AI tools frequently generate CRUD endpoints without any authorization checks, meaning any logged-in user can access or modify any other user's data. This is one of the most common and dangerous flaws in AI-generated codebases.
Common issues
Missing server-side authorization checks (relying only on hiding UI elements), insecure direct object references (changing an ID in the URL to access another user's data), privilege escalation where regular users can access admin endpoints, and overly permissive default roles.
Best practices
Always enforce authorization on the server side — never trust the client. Use a consistent authorization middleware or policy layer. Apply the principle of least privilege: users should only have the minimum permissions needed. Test authorization by attempting to access resources as different user roles. Audit your access control logic regularly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my app has authorization problems?
Try accessing API endpoints or pages as a regular user that should be admin-only. Try modifying IDs in URLs or API requests to access other users' data. If either works, you have a broken access control issue — one of the most critical vulnerabilities in web apps.
Is hiding a button in the UI enough to restrict access?
Absolutely not. Hiding UI elements is cosmetic — anyone can call your API directly using browser dev tools or a tool like Postman. Authorization must always be enforced on the server side, regardless of what the frontend shows or hides.
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