Sign in Subscribe
Concepts

Data is leaking before you see it.

Andrios Robert

• 1 min read

OpenID Connect (OIDC) makes authentication easier, but it doesn’t protect your most sensitive columns by default. User identities flow through secure tokens, yet the actual data fields—SSNs, credit card numbers, health records—can be exposed if you don’t enforce column-level security. OIDC stops at who can log in. The rest is up to you.

Why Sensitive Columns Need More Than OIDC

OIDC handles authentication and authorization through ID tokens and access tokens. These tokens confirm the user, map roles, and secure endpoints. But sensitive columns inside a database require finer control. Even with OIDC in place, a role can still query entire tables if column restrictions aren’t applied. This opens a direct path for overexposure.

How to Protect Sensitive Columns with OIDC

To integrate OIDC with sensitive data policies:

  1. Token-Driven Filters – Parse OIDC claims to build SQL filters that only return approved columns.
  2. Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) – Map claims like role, scope, or department to enforce per-column visibility.
  3. Policy Enforcement at Query Layer – Place middleware between the app and database that strips sensitive columns unless the token authorizes them.
  4. Auditing – Track all queries touching sensitive columns, tied to the OIDC identity from the token.

OIDC providers like Auth0, Okta, and Azure AD can add custom claims for column-level permissions. Pass these claims into your API and database access layer. With proper policies, a token without clearance can’t return the restricted data—even if someone bypasses the UI.

Common Pitfalls

  • Relying only on table-level permissions.
  • Assuming OIDC scopes map directly to database privileges.
  • Not synchronizing token claim updates with policy changes in the database layer.

High-value data lives in specific columns. OIDC gets you identity. Column-level security keeps that identity from taking too much. Build both, or your OIDC integration becomes a single strong door guarding an open warehouse.

See how OIDC and sensitive column enforcement work together—live in minutes—at hoop.dev.