Thread: users & groups

users & groups

From
R D
Date:
Hi there,
i have few questions in users and droups in pgSQL that
i can't check in the next few days and this is
inportant in my choice of database:
  1. If I'm using different password files for each
database can I grant or revoke privileges to this
users without creating the same users in pg_user
table? I mean is that enough to create the user only
in password file and to operate with that user,I think
I can't ALTER USER, but what about GRANT ,REVOKE?
  2. How can I add a user in more than one GROUP? How
can I add an existing user  to a new group? How can I
remove a user from some group? What if the users exist
only in password file and not in pg_user table(if it's
possible :-))?

Thanx in advance!
Rumen

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Re: users & groups

From
Peter Eisentraut
Date:
R D writes:

>   1. If I'm using different password files for each
> database can I grant or revoke privileges to this
> users without creating the same users in pg_user
> table?

No, you always have to use CREATE USER. Btw., I think we're pondering
removing the secondary password file feature sometime; would you care to
explain why you think you need it?

>   2. How can I add a user in more than one GROUP?

ALTER GROUP foo ADD USER bar;
ALTER GROUP foo2 ADD USER bar;

> How can I add an existing user to a new group?

CREATE GROUP foo WITH USER bar1, bar2;

> How can I remove a user from some group?

ALTER GROUP foo DROP USER bar;

RTFM :)


--
Peter Eisentraut                  Sernanders väg 10:115
peter_e@gmx.net                   75262 Uppsala
http://yi.org/peter-e/            Sweden


RE: users & groups

From
Nicolas Huillard
Date:
I think all that works in 7.0, not 6.5 ? (after RTFM a few months ago)

Nicolas Huillard

-----Message d'origine-----
De:    Peter Eisentraut [SMTP:peter_e@gmx.net]
Date:    dimanche 18 juin 2000 16:17
A:    R D
Cc:    pgsql-admin@postgresql.org
Objet:    Re: users & groups

R D writes:

>   1. If I'm using different password files for each
> database can I grant or revoke privileges to this
> users without creating the same users in pg_user
> table?

No, you always have to use CREATE USER. Btw., I think we're pondering
removing the secondary password file feature sometime; would you care to
explain why you think you need it?

>   2. How can I add a user in more than one GROUP?

ALTER GROUP foo ADD USER bar;
ALTER GROUP foo2 ADD USER bar;

> How can I add an existing user to a new group?

CREATE GROUP foo WITH USER bar1, bar2;

> How can I remove a user from some group?

ALTER GROUP foo DROP USER bar;

RTFM :)


--
Peter Eisentraut                  Sernanders vag 10:115
peter_e@gmx.net                   75262 Uppsala
http://yi.org/peter-e/            Sweden



Re: users & groups

From
R D
Date:
--- Peter Eisentraut <peter_e@gmx.net> wrote:
> R D writes:
>
> >   1. If I'm using different password files for
> each
> > database can I grant or revoke privileges to this
> > users without creating the same users in pg_user
> > table?
>
> No, you always have to use CREATE USER. Btw., I
> think we're pondering
> removing the secondary password file feature
> sometime; would you care to
> explain why you think you need it?
>
Hi,I need a secondary passwd files because I do not
know another way to manage user access to DBs. But i
think user managenent is very clumsy using this method
especially if you have over 100 users and over 20 DBs.
If there was a pg_shadow in every DB replacing
external passwd file, and this authentication method
was to be used just by adding something like this in
pg_hba.conf file:
host  all  X.X.X.X   Y.Y.Y.Y   password database
or
host  all  X.X.X.X   Y.Y.Y.Y   crypt database
and everything else to be done internaly , it would be
very very nice.
Or maybe it would be better and more reasonable to use
a table in every database with the list of users who
can access the database and their privileges on it.
 I know a lot of people using another DB systems just
because of the lack of some features in the security
system of PostgreSQL.
Here is the list of things they mentioned (I'm on the
same opinion):
 1. The topic of the above discussion.
 2. GRANT/REVOKE creating tables and procedures (and
maybe execution on procedures).
 3. GRANT/REVOKE privileges on all objects
simultaneously just with one query.

 I think it should appear in the nearest future. Maybe
in PostgreSQL 7.1 :-).

regards
Rumen


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RE: users & groups

From
Peter Eisentraut
Date:
On Mon, 19 Jun 2000, Nicolas Huillard wrote:

> I think all that works in 7.0, not 6.5 ?

Correct.


--
Peter Eisentraut                  Sernanders väg 10:115
peter_e@gmx.net                   75262 Uppsala
http://yi.org/peter-e/            Sweden


Re: users & groups

From
Peter Eisentraut
Date:
On Mon, 19 Jun 2000, R D wrote:

> Hi,I need a secondary passwd files because I do not
> know another way to manage user access to DBs.

That's what I thought.

> If there was a pg_shadow in every DB replacing external passwd file,

Hmm, that would be in semi-violation of SQL, since users are supposed to
be global. We've been thinking about making per-database *passwords* for
each user, but I don't think this buys a lot.

> Or maybe it would be better and more reasonable to use a table in
> every database with the list of users who can access the database and
> their privileges on it.

That could be a problem. Assume you delete all users from that table. How
do you get back in and add any? But something like this is clearly needed,
it just can't be in the database -- probably pg_hba.conf.


--
Peter Eisentraut                  Sernanders väg 10:115
peter_e@gmx.net                   75262 Uppsala
http://yi.org/peter-e/            Sweden


Re: users & groups

From
R D
Date:
--- Peter Eisentraut <e99re41@DoCS.UU.SE> wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Jun 2000, R D wrote:
>
> > Hi,I need a secondary passwd files because I do
> not
> > know another way to manage user access to DBs.
>
> That's what I thought.
>
> > If there was a pg_shadow in every DB replacing
> external passwd file,
>
> Hmm, that would be in semi-violation of SQL, since
> users are supposed to
> be global. We've been thinking about making
> per-database *passwords* for
> each user, but I don't think this buys a lot.
>
> > Or maybe it would be better and more reasonable to
> use a table in
> > every database with the list of users who can
> access the database and
> > their privileges on it.
>
> That could be a problem. Assume you delete all users
> from that table. How
> do you get back in and add any? But something like
> this is clearly needed,
> it just can't be in the database -- probably
> pg_hba.conf.
>
Ok, But why it should be outside the DBs?!? I think
that all user information should be stored comletely
inside or completely outside. Any other way of doing
this is not reasnonable(put politely). All this
information could be stored in some system table like
users ;). It's stupid to create user two times, once
in database, once in pg_hba.conf or whereever else.
What do you think? Am I right?

Rumen
p.s. Btw what will happen if U delete all users from
pg_user? :)

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Re: users & groups

From
Rodney McDuff
Date:
peter_e@gmx.net said:
> I think we're pondering removing the secondary password file feature
> sometime;

The current system allows a particular user (in my case http) to connect to
the database olny from the unix domain socket and no where else. What ever system
is going to replace the secondary passwd file should allow this type of affair.
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