Re: How to get SE-PostgreSQL acceptable

Andrew Dunstan wrote:
> Tom Lane wrote:
>> As an example, the present patch imagines that it will have adequate
>> control over inserts by putting hooks into simple_heap_insert and the
>> (rather small number of) places that call heap_insert directly.  But
>> there are dozens of calls of simple_heap_insert and no way for the
>> function itself to know why it is being called or on whose behalf.
>> The patch's hook function tries to work around the fact that it hasn't
>> got that information by means of heuristics.  Aside from the question of
>> whether there are bugs in those heuristics today (I'm certain there
>> are), every time we accept a patch that adds another call of
>> simple_heap_insert, we're going to have to revisit the hook to see
>> if it needs to be twiddled.
>>
>> Another problem is that since the hook only knows the parameters to
>> simple_heap_insert plus global state (such as current_user), it can't
>> cope very well with security-related context changes.  We have already
>> heard that situations involving views are simply broken in the patch as
>> it stands --- row-level permissions are checked against current_user
>> and not the view owner, and there's no good way to fix that.
>>   
> 
> Leaving aside any other issues, it seems to me that the chance of 
> remedying these defects reasonably in a couple of weeks is just about nil.
> 
> That leaves the following questions: can the row-level part of the patch 
> be separated out, and if so how easily, and is what would be left worth 
> doing?

At least, I believe the row-level access control make PostgreSQL more
attractive in security aspect like a few major commercial dbms, and
its tradeoff (PK/FK covert channel, optimization issue) should be
a decision by end-users.

However, I can accept an opinion the row-level facilities can be
separated and postponed, then, step-by-step enlargement approach,
as Peter & Stephen suggested.

Even if we don't have row-level at v8.4, column-level MAC has its
(may be limited) worth, for example, a column to store credit-card
number never visible from web application context.

I found a proverbial phrase in my dictionaly:  Between two stools you fall to the ground.

Thanks,
-- 
OSS Platform Development Division, NEC
KaiGai Kohei <kaigai@ak.jp.nec.com>