Which term refers to the set of permissions that determine access to files?

• A. Access Control Lists (ACL)
• B. Authentication
• C. Secure passwords
• D. Multi-factor authentication

Answer: (A)

Access to files is controlled through authorization mechanisms, and the specific construct that lists which users or groups have which rights on a resource is called an Access Control List. An ACL attaches to a file and enumerates entries like “user X can read,” “group Y can write,” or “others denied.” When a request to access the file comes in, the system checks the ACL to decide whether to allow or deny the action. This is distinct from authentication, which is about proving identity. Methods like secure passwords and multi-factor authentication are ways to verify who you are, not to assign file permissions. So the set of permissions that determine access to files is the Access Control List.