Remove rolcatupdate

This role attribute is an ancient PostgreSQL feature, but could only be
set by directly updating the system catalogs, and it doesn't have any
clearly defined use.

Author: Adam Brightwell <adam.brightwell@crunchydatasolutions.com>

3 files changed, 3 insertions, 37 deletions

diff --git a/src/backend/catalog/aclchk.c b/src/backend/catalog/aclchk.c
index 1e3888e293b..3b456f97efa 100644
--- a/src/backend/catalog/aclchk.c
+++ b/src/backend/catalog/aclchk.c
@@ -3423,26 +3423,6 @@ aclcheck_error_type(AclResult aclerr, Oid typeOid)
 }
 
 
-/* Check if given user has rolcatupdate privilege according to pg_authid */
-static bool
-has_rolcatupdate(Oid roleid)
-{
-	bool		rolcatupdate;
-	HeapTuple	tuple;
-
-	tuple = SearchSysCache1(AUTHOID, ObjectIdGetDatum(roleid));
-	if (!HeapTupleIsValid(tuple))
-		ereport(ERROR,
-				(errcode(ERRCODE_UNDEFINED_OBJECT),
-				 errmsg("role with OID %u does not exist", roleid)));
-
-	rolcatupdate = ((Form_pg_authid) GETSTRUCT(tuple))->rolcatupdate;
-
-	ReleaseSysCache(tuple);
-
-	return rolcatupdate;
-}
-
 /*
  * Relay for the various pg_*_mask routines depending on object kind
  */
@@ -3620,8 +3600,7 @@ pg_class_aclmask(Oid table_oid, Oid roleid,
 
 	/*
 	 * Deny anyone permission to update a system catalog unless
-	 * pg_authid.rolcatupdate is set.   (This is to let superusers protect
-	 * themselves from themselves.)  Also allow it if allowSystemTableMods.
+	 * pg_authid.rolsuper is set.  Also allow it if allowSystemTableMods.
 	 *
 	 * As of 7.4 we have some updatable system views; those shouldn't be
 	 * protected in this way.  Assume the view rules can take care of
@@ -3630,7 +3609,7 @@ pg_class_aclmask(Oid table_oid, Oid roleid,
 	if ((mask & (ACL_INSERT | ACL_UPDATE | ACL_DELETE | ACL_TRUNCATE | ACL_USAGE)) &&
 		IsSystemClass(table_oid, classForm) &&
 		classForm->relkind != RELKIND_VIEW &&
-		!has_rolcatupdate(roleid) &&
+		!superuser_arg(roleid) &&
 		!allowSystemTableMods)
 	{
 #ifdef ACLDEBUG
diff --git a/src/backend/catalog/system_views.sql b/src/backend/catalog/system_views.sql
index 5e69e2b2add..2800f73fb6e 100644
--- a/src/backend/catalog/system_views.sql
+++ b/src/backend/catalog/system_views.sql
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ CREATE VIEW pg_roles AS
         rolinherit,
         rolcreaterole,
         rolcreatedb,
-        rolcatupdate,
         rolcanlogin,
         rolreplication,
         rolconnlimit,
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@ CREATE VIEW pg_shadow AS
         pg_authid.oid AS usesysid,
         rolcreatedb AS usecreatedb,
         rolsuper AS usesuper,
-        rolcatupdate AS usecatupd,
         rolreplication AS userepl,
         rolbypassrls AS usebypassrls,
         rolpassword AS passwd,
@@ -57,7 +55,6 @@ CREATE VIEW pg_user AS
         usesysid,
         usecreatedb,
         usesuper,
-        usecatupd,
         userepl,
         usebypassrls,
         '********'::text as passwd,
diff --git a/src/backend/commands/user.c b/src/backend/commands/user.c
index 0d30838aeed..0ba7ba0c20f 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/user.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/user.c
@@ -368,8 +368,6 @@ CreateRole(CreateRoleStmt *stmt)
 	new_record[Anum_pg_authid_rolinherit - 1] = BoolGetDatum(inherit);
 	new_record[Anum_pg_authid_rolcreaterole - 1] = BoolGetDatum(createrole);
 	new_record[Anum_pg_authid_rolcreatedb - 1] = BoolGetDatum(createdb);
-	/* superuser gets catupdate right by default */
-	new_record[Anum_pg_authid_rolcatupdate - 1] = BoolGetDatum(issuper);
 	new_record[Anum_pg_authid_rolcanlogin - 1] = BoolGetDatum(canlogin);
 	new_record[Anum_pg_authid_rolreplication - 1] = BoolGetDatum(isreplication);
 	new_record[Anum_pg_authid_rolconnlimit - 1] = Int32GetDatum(connlimit);
@@ -734,20 +732,12 @@ AlterRole(AlterRoleStmt *stmt)
 	MemSet(new_record_repl, false, sizeof(new_record_repl));
 
 	/*
-	 * issuper/createrole/catupdate/etc
-	 *
-	 * XXX It's rather unclear how to handle catupdate.  It's probably best to
-	 * keep it equal to the superuser status, otherwise you could end up with
-	 * a situation where no existing superuser can alter the catalogs,
-	 * including pg_authid!
+	 * issuper/createrole/etc
 	 */
 	if (issuper >= 0)
 	{
 		new_record[Anum_pg_authid_rolsuper - 1] = BoolGetDatum(issuper > 0);
 		new_record_repl[Anum_pg_authid_rolsuper - 1] = true;
-
-		new_record[Anum_pg_authid_rolcatupdate - 1] = BoolGetDatum(issuper > 0);
-		new_record_repl[Anum_pg_authid_rolcatupdate - 1] = true;
 	}
 
 	if (inherit >= 0)