Definition
Many of the developments in the 1980s and 1990s in database security were on multi-level secure database management systems (MLS/DBMS). These systems were also called trusted database management systems (TDBMS). In a MLS/DBMS, users are cleared at different clearance levels such as Unclassified, Confidential, Secret and TopSecret. Data is assigned different sensitivity levels such as Unclassified, Confidential, Secret, and TopSecret. It is generally assumed that these security levels form a partially ordered lattice. For example, Unclassified < Confidential < Secret < TopSecret. Partial ordering comes from having different compartments. For example, Secret Compartment A may be incomparable to Secret Compartment B.
Historical Background
MLS/DBMSs have evolved from the developments in multilevel secure operating systems such as MULTICS and SCOMP (see for example [4]) and the developments in database systems. Few...
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Recommended Reading
Campbell J. A year of progress in database security. In Proc. National Computer Security Conf., 1990.
Committee on Multilevel Data Management Security, Air Force Studies Board. Multilevel Data Management Security. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1983.
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Trusted Computer Systems Evaluation Criteria, National Computer Security Center, MD, 1985.
Trusted Database Interpretation. National Computer Security Center, MD, 1991.
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Thuraisingham, B. (2009). Multilevel Secure Database Management System. In: LIU, L., ÖZSU, M.T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Database Systems. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-39940-9_230
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-39940-9_230
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