Patent ID: 6578037
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of controlling access to data in a database system, the method comprising the steps of:establishing a plurality of security policy groups for a database schema object in said database system, wherein each security policy group of said plurality of security policy groups includes at least one policy, wherein said at least one policy is a rule that governs access to said database schema object; selecting a first set of one or more security policy groups of said plurality of security policy groups for a first user based on first context information associated with said first user; selecting a second set of one or more security policy groups of said plurality of security policy groups for a second user based on second context information associated with said second user; wherein said second set of one or more security policy groups contains a security policy group that is not a member of said first set of one or more security policy groups; receiving a query associated with said first user that requires data that resides in said database schema object, wherein said query does not specify any security policy group in said first set of one or more security policy groups and said second set of one or more policy groups; restricting access of said query to said database schema object based on policies reflected in said first set of selected one or more security policy groups; and restricting access of said second user to said database schema object based on policies reflected in said second set of selected one or more security policy groups.