Implementing RBAC in SQL*Plus

The terminal waits, the cursor blinks. You type sqlplus and connect. You need RBAC, and you need it to work without guesswork.

RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) inside SQL*Plus is not a feature you switch on. It is a design pattern enforced at the database level. SQL*Plus is a client; it will obey whatever roles, grants, and privileges your Oracle database defines. The goal is to map users to roles, and roles to the least privileges needed for their tasks.

First, define roles. Use CREATE ROLE in SQL*Plus to set the foundation. Assign specific system or object privileges to each role. Privileges like SELECT on a schema, UPDATE on key tables, or EXECUTE on stored procedures. Keep permissions atomic. Avoid blanket grants like GRANT ALL.

Example:

CREATE ROLE analyst;
GRANT SELECT ON sales_data TO analyst;
GRANT CREATE SESSION TO analyst;

Second, create users and grant them only the roles they need.

CREATE USER jdoe IDENTIFIED BY strongpass;
GRANT analyst TO jdoe;

Third, verify. Connect with the user credentials in SQL*Plus and attempt actions outside the assigned privileges. This confirms RBAC enforcement.

Advanced workflows use SET ROLE in SQL*Plus to activate or limit role usage during a session. Combine this with auditing to track who did what, and when. If a role grants schema modification rights, audit every change.

RBAC in SQL*Plus is a discipline. Roles give clean boundaries, and SQL*Plus shows truth with every ORA- message when a privilege is denied. Build the role hierarchy. Document it. Test it. Update it as your application evolves.

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