Data security

Data security refers to which users can see which data in the ThoughtSpot application. Sharing and security privileges govern what data a user can access and what they can do with the data. Admins can use privileges to regulate access to information and provide a personalized user experience.

Users, groups, and privileges

Data security applies to users and groups. Users can be managed manually or through LDAP. Each user can have membership in one or more groups. Admins can make security settings that determine what users are allowed to do in ThoughtSpot. These settings are applied at the group level.

The following table shows the intersection of user privilege and ability:

Create/Edit WS
Create View
Create Embrace Connection
Modify Col. Props.1
Upload Data
Download Data
Share within Group
Share with all users
Manage RLS rules
CrUD Relationships
Read Relationships
See Hidden Cols
Join with Upload Data
Schema Viewer
Use Scheduler
Use Auto-Analyze
Can administer ThoughtSpot Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y2 Y Y Y Y Y Y
Can upload user data
N N N N Y N Y N N
Y3
Y4
N N N N N
Can download data
N N N N N Y Y N N N
Y4
N N N N N
Can manage data
Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N
Y4
Y4
Y5
Y N N N
Can share with all users
N N N N N N Y Y N N
Y4
N N N N N
Has SpotIQ privilege
N N N N N N N N N N
Y4
N N N N Y
Can Administer and Bypass RLS
N N N N N N N N N Y N N N N N N
None N N N N N N Y N N N
Y4
N N N N N

Table notes:

  1. Applies to non-owners only.
  2. Any tables.
  3. Author of at least one table in relationship.
  4. Only when read permission for columns used in the relationship.
  5. With edit permission.

Security model for sharing objects

You can share with groups and with individual users. Sharing of tables can be defined at the table, column, or row level.

This provides flexibility in modeling your data security policy. Security and sharing settings apply to several different types of objects, each of which has its own security default settings and rules.

Tables
Description

The source data tables that have been loaded using ThoughtSpot Loader.

Default security model

Administrator users have access to source tables. They can share a table with other users or groups. See Sharing tables and columns.

Columns
Description

The columns in the source data tables that have been loaded using ThoughtSpot Loader.

Default security model

Administrator users have access to columns in the source tables. They can share selected columns with other users or groups. Sharing tables and columns.

Rows
Description

The rows in the source data tables that have been loaded using ThoughtSpot Loader.

Default security model

All rows in the source tables are shared with all users by default.

Imported data
Description

Data that was imported using a Web browser.

Default security model

Only the user who imported the data (and any user with administrator privileges) has access to it by default. They can share a table (or selected columns) with other users or groups. See Sharing tables and columns.

Worksheets
Description

A worksheet created using a Web browser.

Default security model

Only the creator of the worksheet (and any user with administrator privileges) has access to it by default. They can share a worksheet with other users or groups. See Share Worksheets.

Pinboards
Description

A pinboard of saved search results.

Default security model

Anyone who can view a pinboard can share it. See Share Pinboards.

Understanding SHARABLE

When you share an object, only the users and groups that have SHARABLE set for the Sharing visibility option appear on the dialog.

share dialog

Only users in the Administrators group or users with Admin privileges can share with groups marked as NOT SHARABLE. Members of a group with Can share with all users authorization can also share with groups marked as NOT SHARABLE.

Users in groups marked NOT SHARABLE cannot share objects among themselves. In multi-tenant scenarios, admins can create groups that bring together portions of two non-share groups so that they can share. For example, the members of group C can share even if they belong to other groups that cannot.

Row level security

ThoughtSpot includes robust row level security, which allows you to filter all objects users see based on conditions you set at the level of row values in base data tables.

You may find it useful to create groups for RLS. To prevent these groups from appearing in the Share dialog, create a NOT SHARABLE group with a single user and an RLS group with another single user (1-to-1).