An XACML Glossary

Computerworld - Action: The type of access that is being requested (for example, read, write, create, delete, logged).
Attribute: A specific characteristic of a subject, resource, action or environment in which the access request is made. Attributes could include a user's name, workstation identity, security clearance, the file to which access is desired and the time of day.
Bag: An unordered collection of attributes, used for matching attributes to conditions. Bags may contain duplicate attributes or be empty.
Condition: A simple or complex Boolean function at the heart of a rule.
Effect: The result of an authorization: deny or permit.
Policy: A single access-control policy expressed through a set of rules.
Policy Set: A container of policies, including references to remote policies.
Resource: A device, data element or file for which access is requested.
Subject: The person or computer making a request.
Target: A set of simplified conditions for the subject, resource and action that must be met for a policy set, policy or rule to apply to a given request.

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