Re: Obfuscated definitions of database objects - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

From Josh Berkus
Subject Re: Obfuscated definitions of database objects
Date
Msg-id 200708240914.24605.josh@agliodbs.com
Whole thread Raw
In response to Obfuscated definitions of database objects  ("Charles N. Charotti" <ccharotti@yahoo.com>)
List pgsql-hackers
Charles,

> I want to know if there is any plan in future versions
> of PG to obfuscate the source code of some objects of
> the database, specially the functions of the backend ?
>
> I mean the text definition of each function or perhaps
> even triggers of the database.

Not seriously, no.  Security by obscurity is not terribly effective, so adding 
a method to conceal function defintions has never been a high priority for 
the project, especially as it would introduce multiple complications in other 
code.  The only thing we've seriously discussed is the possiblity of not 
displaying function definitions to roles which don't have any permissions on 
the function.  But I don't know anyone who's actually writing code for that.

Thing is, if you have a highly knowledgable hostile user who has a valid psql 
login then you have problems well beyond them seeing your function 
definitions.

But if you really think this is the strategy for your application, I suggest 
that you write your functions in C and compile them, which will give you some 
degree of obfuscation.  Or give SEPostgres a try if you really want to lock 
down your DB application.

-- 
Josh Berkus
PostgreSQL @ Sun
San Francisco


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