Object authority is the IBM i permission model that controls what a user or job can access, read, change, or run. On IBM i, authority is attached to objects such as files, programs, libraries, and system resources, and the effective permissions a session gets can come from the user profile, group membership, authorization lists, and adopted authority. It is a core part of how the platform enforces trust.
In cyber security, object authority matters because many attacks succeed by abusing legitimate access rather than breaking in from outside. If an authenticated user can write to a protected object, alter a script, or replace a configuration file, the result can be data tampering, privilege abuse, or service disruption. Defenders use object authority to limit blast radius, apply least privilege, and audit unexpected changes. On IBM i, checking authority settings is a practical way to spot paths that should never be writable by ordinary jobs or accounts.