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Also known as: Item Permissions, Object-Level Access
Access control applied to individual artifacts—such as datasets, reports, or warehouses—granting or restricting permissions per item.
DESCRIPTION
Item Level Security (ILS) restricts or grants access at the artifact level, such as a single dataset, report, warehouse, or pipeline within a platform like Microsoft Fabric. Unlike row- or column-level security, which filters data within an asset, ILS controls who can find, open, or manage the item itself. ILS is implemented through RBAC roles and direct item permissions, enabling fine-grained sharing while enforcing least privilege. It is vital for multi-team environments and regulated data where certain artifacts require restricted access. Combined with auditing and lineage, ILS strengthens compliance.
ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS
Microsoft Learn
Item-level permissions control access to specific items in a Microsoft Fabric workspace, such as datasets, reports, and warehouses.
Defines the scope and examples of items protected by item-level permissions.
Microsoft Learn
You can manage permissions to control who has access to individual Power BI items, including dashboards and reports.
Focuses on per-item permission management within Power BI.
RELATED TERMS
RBAC Attribute-Based Access Control Least Privilege Governance Access Control Workspace Role Auditing
COMPETING TERMS
Fine-Grained Access Control Object-Level Security
RELATIONS
- Broader: Security
KNOWLEDGE AREAS
Data Security Data Governance Platform & Tooling Data Management
TARGET AUDIENCE
Data Governance Manager Data Steward BI Specialist Data Engineer Chief Data Officer Cloud Architect
EXTERNAL SOURCES
- Microsoft Learn - Item permissions in Fabric
- Microsoft Learn - Manage item access in Power BI
TOP QUESTIONS
How does Item Level Security differ from Row-Level Security?
ILS controls access to the artifact itself, while RLS filters the data inside it for authorized users.
Category: Difference
When should I apply Item Level Security?
Use ILS when different users should see or manage different artifacts, such as separating finance and HR datasets.
Category: Guidance
What’s a common mistake with Item Level Security?
Relying solely on workspace roles without adjusting item permissions leads to overly broad access.
Category: Mistakes
How does ILS support compliance?
It enforces least privilege, ensuring only authorized users can access sensitive artifacts, with auditable permission changes.
Category: Governance
Can I automate Item Level Security?
Yes. Use APIs, group-based RBAC, and IaC scripts to assign permissions consistently across items.
Category: Operations
What is the risk of misconfigured Item Level Security?
Data leakage or unauthorized changes if items inherit broad access. Regular audits mitigate this risk.
Category: Risks
How do I grant external users access to a single item?
Assign item permissions to a group scoped to that artifact and apply appropriate viewer or contributor rights.
Category: Usage
Does Item Level Security impact performance?
ILS is mainly an authorization concern; performance impacts are minimal compared to data-level filtering like RLS.
Category: Performance
How should I document Item Level Security?
Record owners, access lists, and review schedules; use catalogs and wikis to keep permissions transparent.
Category: Best practices