Pipeline - Copy Data allows circumvention of Gateway Connection Security

[Csummers828]

We noticed odd behavior in our instance of Fabric. Previously in Power BI, for SQL connections, a developer could only use the database we explictly listed for a server, whether it was for a dataflow, a semantic model, or a pipeline using the Copy Assistant. If someone tries to modify or create a Copy Data block in a pipeline, in the Source tab, they have the ability to select databases that aren't configured in the gateway connection.

That includes databases we don't have Gateway connections for. Is this expected behavior or a bug in Data Factory / Pipelines? Originally we had a service account being leveraged for each server / database. Giving security concerns, this would require a service account for every individual database as well. 

[lbendlin · Accepted solution]

It was always (and still is) possible to seemingly login to one database but then run queries against another database on the same server, provided the connection user has access to both databases.

One subtle hint at that is the presence of both  Sql.Database and Sql.Databases  Power Query functions.

[Csummers828]

Interesting, I know some have used more advanced scripting in Power Query against the gateway connections, but by default, if a developer tries to use another database that isn't associated with the connection it won't allow them to leveage the connection initially. At least not with the default options available in the GUI they normally use. 

So is our only option to secure other databases using the same server different accounts with different permissions? There's no way to lock this functionality down in the gateway, gateway connections, or in the service itself for Power BI / Fabric? 

[lbendlin]

yep, pretty much. Use separate logins.