System and method for implementing mandatory access control on queries of a self-describing data system

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processing device to:

• apply a mandatory access control (MAC) policy to an item type;
• receive, from a processing device, a request to access a first item in a data structure, wherein the first item comprises the item type;
• responsive to receiving the request, execute the MAC policy to instruct the processing device to traverse one or more relationships between the first item and one or more other items to identify a target item;
• determine whether a derived attribute of the target item is satisfied;
• responsive to determining the derived attribute of the target item is satisfied, enable access to the first item.

A system comprising:

• a memory device storing instructions;
• and
• a processing device communicatively coupled to the memory device, wherein the processing device executes the instructions to:
• apply a mandatory access control (MAC) policy to an item type;
• receive, from a processing device, a request to access a first item in a data structure, wherein the first item comprises the item type;
• responsive to receiving the request, execute the MAC policy to instruct the processing device to traverse one or more relationships between the first item and one or more other items to identify a target item;
• determine whether a derived attribute of the target item is satisfied;
• responsive to determining the derived attribute of the target item is satisfied, enable access to the first item.