Policy Management

Introduction

Policies are the decision-making framework within Privicore that determines when operations require authorization, which voting configurations to apply, and how different workflows should be controlled. Policies enable automated, rule-based governance of system operations based on context, user attributes, and security requirements.

What Are Policies?

A Policy is a set of rules that:

Evaluates operations as they occur in the system

Determines whether an operation requires additional authorization

Triggers voting workflows when authorization is needed

Applies specific voting configurations to different operation types

Enables automated decision-making based on predefined criteria

Policies connect the operational layer (data tokens, authentication, device management) with the authorization layer (voting, Authenticators, approval workflows).

Policy Architecture

Policy Evaluation Flow

Operation Initiated (e.g., login, data upload, account change)
         ↓
Policy Engine Evaluates Active Policies
         ↓
Does Policy Match Operation? → No → Operation Proceeds
         ↓ Yes
Policy Requires Voting? → No → Operation Proceeds
         ↓ Yes
Create Poll with Configured Voting Parameters
         ↓
Distribute Ballots to Authenticators
         ↓
Collect Votes
         ↓
Resolve Poll According to Strategy
         ↓
Operation Proceeds or Fails Based on Outcome

Policy Components

Policy Template

A policy template is a predefined policy structure provided by Privicore that addresses common authorization scenarios. Templates include:

Preconfigured rules and conditions

Recommended voting configurations

Operation type mappings

Best practice settings

Templates serve as starting points that can be customized to specific requirements.

Registered Policy

A registered policy is a policy created from a template (or custom-built) and configured with specific parameters for your profile. Registered policies can be:

Active: Currently evaluating operations and triggering workflows

Inactive: Registered but not currently enforcing rules

Policy Conditions

Policies evaluate conditions to determine if they should trigger:

Operation type: What action is being performed (login, data exchange, account modification)

User attributes: Profile characteristics, security classifications, roles

Context: Location, time, device, network conditions

Data attributes: Classification, size, sensitivity level

Policy Lifecycle

Browse Policy Templates → Select Template
         ↓
Register Policy → Configure Parameters
         ↓
Policy Created (Inactive by Default)
         ↓
Activate Policy → Begins Evaluating Operations
         ↓
Policy Triggers Voting When Conditions Match
         ↓
Deactivate Policy (optional) → Stops Evaluation
         ↓
Delete Policy (optional) → Permanent Removal

Policy Use Cases

Multi-Factor Authentication

Scenario: Require additional authentication when logging in from new locations.

Policy Configuration:

Trigger: Login operation from unrecognized location

Voting Configuration: Affirmative strategy (single approval)

Authenticators: User's registered phone and laptop

Time Limit: 60 seconds

Workflow:

User attempts login from new location

Policy detects unrecognized location

Ballots sent to user's Authenticators

User approves on phone

High-Security Data Operations

Scenario: Require unanimous approval for data classified as "top-secret".

Policy Configuration:

Trigger: Data token exchange with "top-secret" classification

Voting Configuration: Unanimous strategy

Authenticators: All registered Authenticators

Time Limit: 300 seconds

Workflow:

Application attempts to exchange top-secret data for token

Policy detects security classification

Ballots sent to all Authenticators

All devices must approve within 5 minutes

Data exchange proceeds only if all approve

Account Modification Protection

Scenario: Require majority approval for critical account changes.

Policy Configuration:

Trigger: Password change, email change, or account deletion

Voting Configuration: Consensus strategy (majority)

Authenticators: All registered Authenticators

Time Limit: 180 seconds

Workflow:

User initiates account modification

Policy detects critical operation

Ballots sent to all Authenticators

Majority must approve within 3 minutes

Account change proceeds if majority approves

Time-Based Access Control

Scenario: Require approval for data access outside business hours.

Policy Configuration:

Trigger: Data token request outside 9am-5pm

Voting Configuration: Affirmative strategy

Authenticators: Manager's Authenticator devices

Time Limit: 120 seconds

Workflow:

User requests data at 8pm

Policy detects out-of-hours access

Ballots sent to manager's devices

Manager approves or rejects

Data access proceeds based on manager's decision

Automated Approval Based on Context

Scenario: Automatically approve low-risk operations, require voting for high-risk.

Policy Configuration:

Trigger: Data token exchange

Condition: If data size < 1MB and classification = "internal"

Action: Auto-approve (no voting)

Else: Trigger voting with consensus strategy

Workflow:

Application exchanges data for token

Policy evaluates data size and classification

If low-risk: operation proceeds automatically

If high-risk: voting workflow triggered

Policy Management Operations

List Policy Templates

Browse available policy templates provided by Privicore to find suitable starting points for your authorization requirements.

Register Policy

Create a new policy from a template or custom configuration, defining the rules and voting configurations for specific operations.

List Active Policies

View all policies currently enforcing authorization rules and triggering voting workflows.

List Inactive Policies

View registered policies that are not currently active but can be activated when needed.

Activate Policy

Enable a registered policy to begin evaluating operations and triggering voting workflows.

Deactivate Policy

Disable an active policy, preventing it from evaluating operations without deleting the policy configuration.

Delete Policy

Permanently remove a registered policy from your profile.

List Registered Policies

View all policies (both active and inactive) registered under your profile.

Retrieve Registered Policy

Get detailed configuration for a specific policy, including rules, conditions, and associated voting configurations.

Policy State Management

Policies exist in one of three states:

Template State

Available policy templates that can be instantiated. Templates are read-only and provided by Privicore.

Inactive State

Registered policies that are configured but not currently evaluating operations. Inactive policies:

Retain all configuration

Do not trigger voting workflows

Can be activated at any time

Are useful for temporarily suspending policies without losing configuration

Active State

Registered policies that are currently enforcing rules. Active policies:

Evaluate all matching operations

Trigger voting workflows when conditions are met

Apply configured voting parameters

Can be deactivated to suspend enforcement

Policy Priority and Conflicts

When multiple active policies match the same operation:

Priority Ordering: Policies may have priority levels determining evaluation order

First Match: First matching policy triggers (default behavior)

Multiple Triggers: Multiple policies can trigger for the same operation (advanced configuration)

Conflict Resolution: System-defined rules resolve conflicts between policies

Integration with Voting Configurations

Policies reference voting configurations to determine authorization parameters:

Policy Matches Operation
         ↓
Policy References Voting Configuration
         ↓
Voting Configuration Provides:
    - Strategy (unanimous, consensus, etc.)
    - Time Limit
    - Quorum Size
    - Authenticator Selection
         ↓
Poll Created with These Parameters

This separation enables:

Reusable Configurations: One voting configuration used by multiple policies

Centralized Management: Update voting parameters in one place

Flexible Authorization: Different operations use different approval requirements

Security Considerations

Policies enable fine-grained access control based on operation context
Active policies automatically enforce authorization without manual intervention
Deactivate policies to temporarily suspend rules without losing configuration
Test policies in inactive state before activation
Multiple policies can create complex authorization requirements - design carefully
Policies with overly restrictive conditions may block legitimate operations
Balance security (strict policies) with usability (flexible policies)
Monitor policy triggers and voting outcomes for security auditing

Policy Best Practices

Start with Templates

Use provided policy templates as starting points rather than creating policies from scratch. Templates incorporate security best practices and common patterns.

Test Before Activating

Use Descriptive Names

Name policies clearly to indicate their purpose (e.g., "login-mfa-policy", "top-secret-data-policy").

Monitor Policy Impact

Track how often policies trigger and voting outcomes to ensure policies achieve intended security goals without excessive friction.

Layer Security

Use multiple policies for defense in depth - different policies for different operation types and security levels.

Document Policy Intent

Maintain documentation explaining why policies exist and what threats they address.

Introduction#

What Are Policies?#

Policy Architecture#

Policy Evaluation Flow#

Policy Components#

Policy Template#

Registered Policy#

Policy Conditions#

Policy Lifecycle#

Policy Use Cases#

Multi-Factor Authentication#

High-Security Data Operations#

Account Modification Protection#

Time-Based Access Control#

Automated Approval Based on Context#

Policy Management Operations#

List Policy Templates#

Register Policy#

List Active Policies#

List Inactive Policies#

Activate Policy#

Deactivate Policy#

Delete Policy#

List Registered Policies#

Retrieve Registered Policy#

Policy State Management#

Template State#

Inactive State#

Active State#

Policy Priority and Conflicts#

Integration with Voting Configurations#

Security Considerations#

Policy Best Practices#

Start with Templates#

Test Before Activating#

Use Descriptive Names#

Monitor Policy Impact#

Layer Security#

Document Policy Intent#

Introduction

What Are Policies?

Policy Architecture

Policy Evaluation Flow

Policy Components

Policy Template

Registered Policy

Policy Conditions

Policy Lifecycle

Policy Use Cases

Multi-Factor Authentication

High-Security Data Operations

Account Modification Protection

Time-Based Access Control

Automated Approval Based on Context

Policy Management Operations

List Policy Templates

Register Policy

List Active Policies

List Inactive Policies

Activate Policy

Deactivate Policy

Delete Policy

List Registered Policies

Retrieve Registered Policy

Policy State Management

Template State

Inactive State

Active State

Policy Priority and Conflicts

Integration with Voting Configurations

Security Considerations

Policy Best Practices

Start with Templates

Test Before Activating

Use Descriptive Names

Monitor Policy Impact

Layer Security

Document Policy Intent