security en
Row-level security
security
Also called: RLS
Plain-language definition
Plain-language definition
Database rules that control which individual records a user may access.
Why it matters
RLS provides defense in depth against cross-account data exposure when application filters are missing or wrong.
Technical detail
Row-level security adds policies to database queries so selected, inserted, updated, or deleted rows depend on the active database identity and policy expressions.
Examples
- A user can select only glossary preferences whose user_id matches the authenticated database identity.
Related terms
Sources and review
Reviewed July 12, 2026 by [email protected]. Next review due January 11, 2027.
- PostgreSQL Row Security Policies — PostgreSQL Global Development Group Accessed 7/11/2026
See something we should improve?
Suggest a correction to “Row-level security.” Suggestions are reviewed before the published definition changes.