Security Attributes Fundamentals

---
title: Security Attributes Fundamentals
description: A Security Attribute is highly configurable piece of information about a Subject or it’s Environment, when used in access controls, enables fine grain security configuration in a non-complex way.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-security/security-attribute-fundamentals.html
release: australia
topic_type: concept
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [Security Attributes, Access Management]
---

# Security Attributes Fundamentals

A Security Attribute is highly configurable piece of information about a Subject or it’s Environment, when used in access controls, enables fine grain security configuration in a non-complex way.

## Overview

Security Attributes offer an alternative method for access control via role definitions to currently practiced ACL\(Access Control Lists\) configuration. Security Attributes offer several advantages to ACL-based configurations:

-   **Better Security**

    Improved permissions evaluation obfuscation ensures that your organization remains secure.

-   **Human Readable**

    Security Attributes are designed to simplify the creation and ease of use of security permissions.

-   **Flexible Security**

    Build persona definitions from both Out-of-Box configuration in combination with customer defined personas.

-   **Logging and Auditing**

    Security Attributes offer detailed auditing and logging to give more insight to security measures and theory.