Create and manage attribute-based access control (ABAC) policies

This page describes how to configure row filter and column mask policies in Unity Catalog. For more information on attribute-based access control (ABAC) and policies, see Unity Catalog attribute-based access control (ABAC). To apply tags to objects, see Governed tags and Apply tags to Unity Catalog securable objects.

Enable ABAC

The ABAC beta is enabled at the workspace level. Databricks cannot enforce ABAC on read operations to shared catalogs unless ABAC is also enabled in each workspace that accesses those catalogs.

To enable the ABAC beta, do the following:

1. As a workspace admin, click your username in the top bar of the Azure Databricks workspace.

2. From the menu, select Previews.

3. Set the Attribute Based Access Control toggle to On.

Compute requirements

• You must use compute on Databricks Runtime 16.4 or above.

Compute running older runtimes cannot access tables secured by ABAC. As a temporary workaround, you can configure ABAC to apply only to a specific group. Add the users you want to restrict to that group. Users who are not in the group can still access the tables.

Create a policy on an object

To create a row filter or column mask policy, you must have:

• The ABAC beta and tag policies beta enabled in your workspace. See Enable ABAC.

• An existing user-defined function (UDF) that implements the row filter or column mask logic you want to enforce.\

  For best practices and examples UDFs, see UDFs for ABAC policies best practices.

• MANAGE on the object or ownership of the object.

• You must use compute on Databricks Runtime 16.4 or above.

  Compute running older runtimes cannot access tables secured by ABAC. As a temporary workaround, you can configure ABAC to apply only to a specific group. Add the users you want to restrict to that group. Users who are not in the group can still access the tables.

Catalog Explorer

1. In your Azure Databricks workspace, click Catalog.

2. Select the object that determines the policy scope, such as a catalog, schema, or table.

3. Click the Policies tab.

4. Click New policy.

5. In General, enter a name and description for your policy.

6. In Principals:

   • In Applied to…, search for and select the principals that the policy will govern.
   • In Except for…, search for and select any principals to exclude from the policy. For example, you might exclude a user who belongs to a group the policy applies to.

   

7. In Type & target:

   • In Policy type, select Row Filter or Column Mask.
   • In Policy target, select the scope of the policy. This can be a broad scope, such as an entire catalog or schema, or a narrower scope, such as specific tables or columns within it.
   • In Table level condition, specify the condition matching the tables to which this policy applies. For example, hasTag("tag") or hasTagValue("tag", "value").

8. In Function, select a function for this policy to use and enter required parameters. To create a new function, see Creating UDFs in Unity Catalog. For best practices and examples functions, see UDFs for ABAC policies best practices.

   

9. Click Create policy.

SQL

The following is the general syntax for creating a policy:

CREATE POLICY <policy_name>
ON <securable_type> <securable_name>
COMMENT '<policy_description>'
-- One of the following:
  ROW FILTER <udf_name>
  | COLUMN MASK <udf_name> ON COLUMN <target_column>
TO <principal_name>[, <principal_name>, ...]
[EXCEPT <principal_name>[, <principal_name>, ...]]
FOR TABLES
[WHEN hasTag('<key>') OR hasTagValue('<key>', '<value>')]
MATCH COLUMNS hasTag('<key>') OR hasTagValue('<key>', '<value>') AS <alias>
USING COLUMNS <alias>[, <alias>, ...];

This example defines a row filter policy that excludes rows for European customers from queries by US-based analysts:

CREATE POLICY hide_eu_customers
ON SCHEMA prod.customers
COMMENT 'Hide rows with European customers from sensitive tables'
ROW FILTER non_eu_region
TO us_analysts
FOR TABLES
MATCH COLUMNS
  hasTag('geo_region') AS region
USING COLUMNS (region);

This example defines a column mask policy that hides social security numbers from US analysts, except for those with in the admins group:

CREATE POLICY mask_SSN
ON SCHEMA prod.customers
COMMENT 'Mask social security numbers'
COLUMN MASK mask_SSN
TO us_analysts
EXCEPT admins
FOR TABLES
MATCH COLUMNS
  hasTagValue('pii', 'ssn') AS ssn
ON COLUMN ssn;

Edit a policy

Permissions required: MANAGE on the object or the owner of the object.

Catalog Explorer

1. In your Azure Databricks workspace, click Catalog.

2. Select the object that determines the policy scope, such as a catalog, schema, or table.

3. Click the Policies tab.

4. Select the policy and make edits.

5. Click Update policy.

SQL

CREATE OR REPLACE POLICY <policy_name>
ON <securable_type> <securable_name>
COMMENT '<policy_description>'
-- One of the following:
  ROW FILTER <udf_name>
  | COLUMN MASK <udf_name> ON COLUMN <target_column>
TO <principal_name>[, <principal_name>, ...]
[EXCEPT <principal_name>[, <principal_name>, ...]]
FOR TABLES
[WHEN hasTag('<key>') OR hasTagValue('<key>', '<value>')]
MATCH COLUMNS hasTag('<key>') OR hasTagValue('<key>', '<value>') AS <alias>
USING COLUMNS <alias>[, <alias>, ...];

Delete a policy

Permissions required: MANAGE on the object or the owner of the object.

Catalog Explorer

1. In your Azure Databricks workspace, click Catalog.

2. Select the object that determines the policy scope, such as a catalog, schema, or table.

3. Click the Policies tab.

4. Select the policy.

5. Click Delete policy.

SQL

DROP POLICY <policy_name> ON <securable_type> <securable_name>