Access control systems and methods

A method for computer security, the method comprising:

• receiving an indication that a user is attempting to access a resource on a computing system;
• determining whether the computing system has been booted in maintenance mode;
• determining whether or not the resource can only be accessed in maintenance mode;
• and
• when the resource can only be accessed in maintenance mode and when the system has not been booted in maintenance mode, disallowing access access to the resource.

A system for computer security, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a module configured, when executed by the processor, to:
• receive an indication that a user is attempting to access a resource on the computing system;
• determine a source identifier associated with the user;
• determine whether or not an access control list associated with the resource specifies the source identifier as allowable;
• determine whether the computing system is executing maintenance mode;
• determine whether or not the resource can only be accessed in maintenance mode;
• and
• control access based on whether or not (1) the source identifier is specified as allowable, (2) the resource can only be accessed in maintenance mode, and (3) the system is executing in maintenance mode.