What determines the actions you are allowed to perform on a computer?

Permissions determine the actions you are allowed to perform on a computer by specifying the rights and privileges for users and groups regarding files, folders, and system resources. When permissions are correctly configured, they allow or deny users the ability to read, write, modify, or execute specific content or functions within the operating system.

For instance, a user might have permission to open a document but not to delete it, reflecting the controlled access based on their role or need. This system helps to maintain security and integrity within the operating system by ensuring that only authorized actions are permitted for different users or user groups.

Other concepts like authentication, encryption, and access control also relate to security but serve different functions. Authentication verifies the identity of a user, while encryption secures data by transforming it into a format that is unreadable without the correct decryption key. Access control encompasses broader strategies for managing user access to resources, but it is the permissions that specifically dictate what actions users can take once they are authenticated and granted access.