Policy-aware Vector Search: A Vision for Fine Grained Access Control in Vector Databases
On the map: Retrieval-augmented generation → Privacy and security of RAG
Abstract (arXiv)
Vector databases are increasingly used in security sensitive contexts with Retrieval Augmented Generation and organizational AI pipelines; however, their security capabilities remain limited. Specifically, Fine-grained Access Control (FGAC) which is required to ensure that data access adheres to user-specific policies is not fully supported in modern vector databases. Unlike relational databases, vector databases combine structured and unstructured attributes to provide semantic, approximate query results, which complicates FGAC implementation. This creates an inherent tension between enforcing FGAC policies correctly, achieving high ANN search recall and maintaining low query latency. In this paper, we present a vision for Policy-aware Vector Search by formalizing the FGAC policy model in vector databases as well as the enforcement problem. We compare various enforcement strategies, present preliminary findings, and identify key open challenges for future research in policy-aware vector search.
Key facts. No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Privacy and security of RAG, one of 15 directions in Retrieval-augmented generation. Builds on 3 of its 15 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 18 Jun 2026.
Builds on
3 of 15 references.
References · 3
- 2016Efficient and robust approximate nearest neighbor search using Hierarchical Navigable Small World graphscited by 861
- 2024ACORN: Performant and Predicate-Agnostic Search Over Vector Embeddings and Structured Datacited by 32
- 2025Survey of Filtered Approximate Nearest Neighbor Search over the Vector-Scalar Hybrid Datacited by 5
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- 2026Trans-RAG: Query-Centric Vector Transformation for Secure Cross-Organizational Retrieval
- 2026A Unified Benchmark for Privacy-preserving Vector Search
- 2025Policy-Aware Generative AI for Safe, Auditable Data Access Governance
- 2025Enterprise AI Must Enforce Participant-Aware Access Control
- 2024FRAG: Toward Federated Vector Database Management for Collaborative and Secure Retrieval-Augmented Generation
- 2026Securing the Agent: Vendor-Neutral, Multitenant Enterprise Retrieval and Tool Use
- 2026Offline RL for Adaptive Policy Retrieval in Prior Authorization
- 2026SQLConductor: Search-to-Policy Learning for Step-wise Text-to-SQL Orchestration