Role based access model implementation using Row Level Security in PostgreSQL

Theme development Study on Implementing Row Level Security in PostgreSQL и for a detailed answer on comment.

The strategy used implies the use of the concept of "Business logic in the database", which was described in a little more detail here - Study on the implementation of business logic at the level of PostgreSQL stored functions

The theoretical part is well described in the documentation PostgreSQL — Row protection policies. Below is a practical implementation a specific business task - a role model of data access.

There is nothing new in the article, there is no hidden meaning and secret knowledge. Just a sketch about the practical implementation of a theoretical idea. If anyone is interested, read on. If you're not interested, don't waste your time.

Formulation of the problem

It is necessary to differentiate access to view/insert/modify/delete the document in accordance with the role of the application user. A role means an entry in a table roles associated with a many-to-many relationship with a table users. The implementation details of the tables, due to triviality, are omitted. Domain-specific implementation details are also omitted.

implementation

Create roles, schemas, table

Creating database objects

CREATE ROLE store;
CREATE SCHEMA store AUTHORIZATION store;
CREATE TABLE store.docs
(
  id integer ,         --id документа
  man_id integer , --id менеджера документа
  stat_id integer ,  --id статуса документа
  ...
  is_del BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE 
);
ALTER TABLE store.docs ADD CONSTRAINT doc_pk PRIMARY KEY (id);
ALTER TABLE store.docs OWNER TO store ;

Creating Functions to Implement RLS

Checking if a row can be SELECTed

check_select

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION store.check_select ( current_id store.docs.id%TYPE ) RETURNS boolean AS $$
DECLARE
  result boolean ;
  curr_pid integer ;
  curr_stat_id integer ;
  doc_man_id integer ;
BEGIN 
  -- DBA имеет доступ ко всем документам
  IF SESSION_USER = 'curr_dba'
  THEN
    RETURN TRUE ;
  END IF ;
  --------------------------------

  --Если документ имеет метку 'удален' - не показывать в выборке
  SELECT
    is_del
  INTO
    result
  FROM
    store.docs
  WHERE
    id = current_id ;
 IF result = TRUE
 THEN
   RETURN FALSE ;
 END IF ;
 --------------------------------

 --Получить id текущего пользователя
 SELECT
   service_function.get_curr_pid ()
 INTO
   curr_pid ;
 --------------------------------

 --Получить id менеджера документа
 SELECT
   man_id
 INTO
   doc_man_id
 FROM
   store.docs
 WHERE
   id = current_id ;
 --------------------------------

 --Если менеджер документа не текущий пользователь или менеджер не назначен
 --добавить документ в выборку
 IF doc_man_id != curr_pid OR doc_man_id IS NULL
 THEN
   RETURN TRUE  ;
 ELSE
   --Получить текущий статус документа
   SELECT
     stat_id                                         
   INTO
     curr_statid
   FROM
     store.docs
   WHERE
     id = current_id ;
    
   --Если статус позволяет просмотреть документ - добавить документ в выборку                     
   IF curr_statid = 4 OR curr_statid = 9
   THEN
     RETURN TRUE ;
   ELSE
   --Иначе - исключить документ из выборки
     RETURN FALSE ;
    END IF ;
  END IF ;
  --------------------------------

 RETURN FALSE ;
END
$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql SECURITY DEFINER;
ALTER FUNCTION store.check_select( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) OWNER TO store ;
REVOKE EXECUTE ON FUNCTION store.check_select( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) FROM public; 
GRANT EXECUTE ON FUNCTION store.check_select( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) TO service_functions; 

Checking the ability to INSERT a row

check_insert

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION store.check_insert ( current_id store.docs.id%TYPE ) RETURNS boolean AS $$
DECLARE
  curr_role_id integer ;
BEGIN
  --DBA может добавлять строку в любом случае
  IF SESSION_USER = 'curr_dba'
  THEN
    RETURN TRUE ;
  END IF ;
  --------------------------------

 --Получить id роли текущего пользователя 
 SELECT
   service_functions.current_rid()
  INTO
    curr_role_id ;
 --------------------------------

--Если роль допускает возможность создания нового документа
--разрешить
IF curr_role_id = 3 OR curr_role_id = 5     
THEN
  RETURN TRUE ;
END IF ;
--------------------------------
RETURN FALSE  ;
END
$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql SECURITY DEFINER;
ALTER FUNCTION store.check_insert( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) OWNER TO store ;
REVOKE EXECUTE ON FUNCTION store.check_insert( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) FROM public;
GRANT EXECUTE ON FUNCTION store.check_insert( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) TO service_functions; 

Checking the ability to DELETE a row

check_delete

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION store.check_delete ( current_id store.docs.id%TYPE )
RETURNS boolean AS $$
BEGIN  
  --Только DBA может удалять строку 
  IF SESSION_USER = 'curr_dba'
  THEN
    RETURN TRUE ;
  END IF ;
  --------------------------------

  RETURN FALSE ;
END
$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql
SECURITY DEFINER;
ALTER FUNCTION store.check_delete( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) OWNER TO store ;
REVOKE EXECUTE ON FUNCTION store.check_delete( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) FROM public;

Checking the ability to UPDATE a row.

update_using

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION store.update_using ( current_id store.docs.id%TYPE , is_del boolean  )
RETURNS boolean AS $$
BEGIN  
   --Документы имеющие статус 'удален' - не редактируются
   IF is_del 
   THEN
     RETURN FALSE ;
 ELSE
    RETURN TRUE ;
  END IF ;

END
$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql SECURITY DEFINER;
ALTER FUNCTION store.update_using(  store.docs.id%TYPE ,  boolean  ) OWNER TO store ;
REVOKE EXECUTE ON FUNCTION store.update_using(  store.docs.id%TYPE ,  boolean  ) FROM public;
GRANT EXECUTE ON FUNCTION store.update_using( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) TO service_functions;

update_check

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION store.update_with_check ( current_id store.docs.id%TYPE , is_del boolean )
RETURNS boolean AS $$
DECLARE
  current_rid integer ;
  current_statid integer ;
BEGIN                

  --DBA может просматривать строку 
  IF SESSION_USER = 'curr_dba'
  THEN
    RETURN TRUE ;
  END IF ;
  --------------------------------

 --Получить id роли текущего пользователя 
 SELECT
   service_functions.current_rid()
  INTO
    curr_role_id ;
 --------------------------------                            

 --Удаление документа - изменение признака 
 IF is_deleted
 THEN
   --Если роль пользователя ***
   IF current_role_id = 3        
   THEN
      SELECT
        stat_id                                          
      INTO
        curr_statid
      FROM
        store.docs
      WHERE
        id = current_id ;

      --Документ в статусе *** нельзя удалить 
      IF current_status_id = 11
      THEN
         RETURN FALSE ;
      ELSE
      --Можно удалить документ в других статусах
        RETURN TRUE ;
      END IF ;

    --Иначе , если роль пользователя ***
    ELSIF current_role_id = 5            
    THEN
      --Все статусы документа 
      RETURN TRUE ;
    ELSE
      --Другие пользователи не могут удалять документы
      RETURN FALSE ;
    END IF ;
 ELSE      
   --Обновление документа разрешено
    RETURN TRUE ;
END IF ;

RETURN FALSE ;
END
$$ LANGUAGE plpgsql SECURITY DEFINER;
ALTER FUNCTION store.update_with_check( storg.docs.id%TYPE ,  boolean   ) OWNER TO store ;
REVOKE EXECUTE ON FUNCTION store.update_with_check( storg.docs.id%TYPE ,  boolean   )  FROM public;
GRANT EXECUTE ON FUNCTION store.update_with_check( store.docs.id%TYPE  ) TO service_functions;

Enable the Row Level Security policy for a table.

ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY

ALTER TABLE store.docs ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY ;

CREATE POLICY doc_select ON store.docs FOR SELECT TO service_functions USING ( (SELECT store.check_select(id)) );
CREATE POLICY doc_insert ON store.docs FOR INSERT TO service_functions WITH CHECK ( (SELECT store.check_insert(id)) );
CREATE POLICY docs_delete ON store.docs FOR DELETE TO service_functions USING ( (SELECT store.check_delete(id)) );

CREATE POLICY doc_update_using ON store.docs FOR UPDATE TO service_functions USING ( (SELECT store.update_using(id , is_del )) );
CREATE POLICY doc_update_check ON store.docs FOR UPDATE TO service_functions  WITH CHECK ( (SELECT store.update_with_check(id , is_del )) );

Сonclusion

It works.

The proposed strategy made it possible to transfer the implementation of the role model from the level of business functions to the level of data storage.

Functions can be used as a template to implement more sophisticated data hiding models as required by business requirements.

Source: habr.com