HashiCorp Boundary Adds Column-Level Access Control

HashiCorp Boundary now makes column-level access control achievable without building complex, brittle logic into every application. Instead of granting broad table permissions, you enforce rules that define the exact columns a user or service can query. This gives teams a way to secure sensitive fields—like PII or financial data—at the source.

Boundary’s column-level policies build on its core model of identity-based access. You create roles, tie them to specific data attributes, and apply those rules at the connection layer. When a session starts, Boundary brokers the credentials and injects restrictions directly into the query execution path. The result: even if someone has valid connection rights, the database will not return unauthorized columns.

With this approach, you remove the need to copy data into separate views or maintain duplicate schemas for security. You reduce operational overhead. Audit logs show not just who connected, but exactly what columns they could reach. Combine column-level access with Boundary’s session recording and high-trust authentication flows, and you gain a cleaner, more enforceable security posture.

For organizations under strict compliance regimes, this model simplifies proving least privilege. It also prevents accidental exposure during ad-hoc analysis or shared reporting pipelines. Column-level security in Boundary is not a bolt-on—it’s enforced alongside your existing identity and network policies, so there are no unguarded paths to sensitive fields.

The configuration is straightforward:

• Define the target database in Boundary.
• Create roles and grant access to named columns.
• Tie roles to users, groups, or service principals.
• Connect through Boundary and observe filtered results—no client-side hacks or custom transformations.

HashiCorp Boundary column-level access lets you deliver data safely, without slowing down development or adding fragile code.

See this in action with hoop.dev—connect your database, apply column-level controls, and watch it work in minutes.