# What is Conditional Access?

> Conditional access is an authorization approach that evaluates contextual signals before allowing, denying, or restricting access to a resource.

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## Content

Instead of treating a successful sign-in as sufficient for every request, policy can consider the identity, authentication strength, device state, resource sensitivity, requested action, network context, time, behavior, and current threat information.

Evaluation may occur at sign-in, when a sensitive action is requested, and during an active session. A decision can require stronger authentication, limit available functions, shorten a session, place the user in a restricted environment, or revoke access. The exact signals and responses depend on the organization’s risk model rather than a universal product setting.

### Key points

- **Common signals:** User and workload identity, device health, credential or authenticator strength, location, behavior, resource classification, and threat indicators.
- **Possible responses:** Allow, deny, require step-up authentication, restrict capabilities, demand a managed device, or re-evaluate and terminate a session.
- **Sound operation:** Test policies against real workflows, protect emergency access, log decisions, monitor signal quality, and design for identity-provider or network failures.
- **Important limitation:** Contextual signals can be stale, spoofed, or simply wrong. Overly broad policies can lock out legitimate users, while permissive exceptions can become durable bypasses.

### Related terms

[Authorization](<https://yellowcube.eu/glossary/authorization/>) · [Authentication](<https://yellowcube.eu/glossary/authentication/>) · [Zero trust architecture (ZTA)](<https://yellowcube.eu/glossary/zero-trust-architecture/>) · [Session management](<https://yellowcube.eu/glossary/session-management/>)

### Sources

[NIST SP 800-207](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/207/final) · [NIST Implementing a Zero Trust Architecture](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/1800/35/final)

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