SQL Server Row Level Security Deep Dive. Part 5 – RLS Attacks


 

As mentioned in previous sections, RLS is an addition to security and should not be used as the primary method to limit access to data. It is a supplementary layer, useful in specific scenarios. There are also instances where RLS can be defeated by an unauthorized user. The attacks listed below are broken down into direct attacks, indirect attacks, and side-channel attacks. The categorizations could be changed, but the important part of each is the vulnerability discussed.

Direct Attacks

I’ve grouped attacks that rely on changing or removing RLS as direct attacks. These types of attacks would be easier to