Trusted Solaris Developer's Guide

Sensitivity Label

A sensitivity label has an ID field, one hierarchical classification (also called a level), and a set of one or more non-hierarchical compartments (also called categories). The classification represents a single level within a hierarchy, while the compartments represent distinct areas of information in a system. Compartments limit access to only those who need to know the information in a particular area. For example, persons with a Secret classification have access to the secret information specified by the compartment list and no other secret information. The sensitivity label classification and compartments together represent the sensitivity level of a process or object.

Comparing sensitivity labels means that the sensitivity label portion of the process CMW label is compared to the sensitivity label portion of the target CMW label and access is either granted or denied to the process based on whether the sensitivity level of the process dominates the sensitivity level of the target. The relationships of equality and dominance are described in "Test Label Relationships".