Data Access Control

TL;DR

This guide shows you how to control who can see what data in a system where information is organised in levels (like folders). We’ll use roles and permissions to make sure people only access the data they need.

1. Understand Your Data Hierarchy

First, map out your data structure. Think of it like folders within folders. For example:

• Level 1: Company-wide data (e.g., overall sales figures)
• Level 2: Departmental data (e.g., Sales department reports)
• Level 3: Team data (e.g., specific sales team performance)

Knowing this structure is vital for setting up the right permissions.

2. Define Roles

Create roles that represent different job functions within your organisation. Examples:

• Administrator: Full access to all data.
• Department Manager: Access to their department’s data and summary company-wide data.
• Team Member: Access only to their team’s data.
• Read-Only User: Can view, but not change, specific data.

Keep the number of roles manageable. Too many can become difficult to administer.

3. Assign Permissions

Permissions define what each role can do with the data (read, write, delete, etc.). Here’s how you might assign them:

1. Administrator: Read, Write, Delete on all levels.
2. Department Manager:
   • Read, Write, Delete on Level 2 (their department).
   • Read-Only access to Level 1 (company summary data).
3. Team Member: Read, Write on Level 3 (their team’s data).
4. Read-Only User: Read-Only access to specific datasets as defined by an administrator.

Consider using a permission matrix to visualise this clearly.

4. Implement Access Control in Your System

How you do this depends on your system (database, application, cloud service). Here are some common approaches:

a) Database Level

Use database roles and grants to control access directly. For example, in PostgreSQL:

CREATE ROLE department_manager;
GRANT SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE ON sales_data TO department_manager;

b) Application Level

Your application code should check the user’s role before allowing access to data. This often involves checking a database table or using an authentication system.

Example (simplified Python):

def get_sales_data(user):
    if user.role == 'Administrator':
        return all_sales_data()
    elif user.department == 'Sales':
        return sales_department_data()
    else:
        return None # No access

c) Cloud Services (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)

Cloud providers offer Identity and Access Management (IAM) services. Use these to define roles and policies that control access to resources.

5. Test Thoroughly

1. Log in as each role and verify they can only access the data you expect.
2. Try actions they shouldn’t be able to perform (e.g., a Team Member trying to delete company-wide data).
3. Test edge cases – what happens when someone changes roles?

Automated testing can help with this, especially as your system grows.

6. Regularly Review and Update

• As job roles change, update permissions accordingly.
• Audit access logs to identify any suspicious activity.
• Ensure your cyber security policies are up-to-date.