< operating system , security > An operating system security or access control model where specific types of access to a specific object are granted by giving a process this data structure or token .
The token may be unforgeable (typically by using encryption or hardware "tagged" memory). Capabilities are used in OSes such as Hydra , KeyKOS , EROS , Chorus / Mix , and the Stanford V system . Similar to Kerberos , but in an OS context.
Compare access control list .
(1998-03-08)