Final answer:
Access controls are security measures used to regulate who can view or use resources in a computing environment, which includes user authentication and permissions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term access controls refers to a broad range of controls that perform tasks such as ensuring that only authorized users can log on and preventing unauthorized users from gaining access to resources.
Access controls mitigate a wide variety of information security risks by implementing policies and technologies that regulate who can view or use any particular resources within a computing environment.
Examples include user authentication through passwords, biometrics, or multi-factor authentication systems, as well as permissions and rights that provide or restrict user capabilities based on roles.