Security

Authentication (AuthN) is who you are; authorization (AuthZ) is what you're allowed to do. Learn 401 vs 403, why IdPs don't replace app AuthZ, and how to externalize permissions.

SOC 2-style access reviews need more than IdP login events. Explainable allow and deny decision logs — decision provenance from identity to policy to resource — are the authorization evidence that makes application-level access controls concrete.

Every authorization decision should be explainable. Authorization observability is not more logs — it is decision provenance. Here is how to build an audit trail that answers why access was allowed or denied.

Fine-grained authorization belongs in a dedicated control plane—not scattered if-statements. Learn when to externalize authorization and stop rebuilding DIY RBAC in application code.

MCP servers are now operational control surfaces for cloud and API platforms. This article explains the trust model, control stack, and audit architecture enterprises need before AI agents can safely execute infrastructure actions.

A practical review guide for security, privacy, and procurement teams evaluating whether an MCP gateway can meet SOC 2, HIPAA, and privacy requirements — with concrete examples from Permit MCP Gateway.