[admin]@postgresql.org pg_database contents ... what happens

[Paul Gimpelj]

If I connect to any database with psql I can see all the other databases in table pg_database
under postgresql 7.2

What happens if I delete all the rows from this table.

[Uwe C. Schroeder]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Post by Paul Gimpelj
If I connect to any database with psql I can see all the other databases in
table pg_database under postgresql 7.2
What happens if I delete all the rows from this table.

Well, similar question would be "what happens if I format the harddrive and
throw the box into the bathtub" :-)

UC

- --
Open Source Solutions 4U, LLC 2570 Fleetwood Drive
Phone: [phone] San Bruno, CA 94066
Cell: [phone] United States
Fax: [phone]
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux)

iD8DBQFAusZejqGXBvRToM4RAurNAKCmN8Zl0q45v4c8d3ueCtBI3RkG5QCdGMfz
N2h04lJOnXNAM1Ywml9vh0Y=
=WgMl
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----


---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
TIP 7: don't forget to increase your free space map settings

[Artur P]

Post by Uwe C. Schroeder

Post by Paul Gimpelj
If I connect to any database with psql I can see all the other databases in
table pg_database under postgresql 7.2
What happens if I delete all the rows from this table.

Well, similar question would be "what happens if I format the harddrive and
throw the box into the bathtub" :-)

I wouldn't say so - you can delete from pg_database only if you
are are granted database create/drop (or you are superuser).

If I understand Paul correctly, his real question was "I can see
pg_database if I connect to any database, as any user - is it
safe/secure?". Then, answer to this question would be: yes, as long as
you are normal user, because it is one of PostgreSQL's system tables. You
can select from that table, but to update/delete from that table, you
need to have rights to create/drop database.

Do "select * from pg_shadow" as postgresql superuser, to check users
that have permission to create/drop (see
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/interactive/catalog-pg-shadow.html).

So, to be safe, do not grant database creation rights to users that
shouldn't have them (see also "Chapter 17. Database Users and Privileges" ->
"17.2. User Attributes"
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/interactive/user-attributes.html)

Best regards,