A method includes generating, in a graph database, an access role vertex that defines an access role of a user, where the access role vertex is connected to a user vertex representing the user; generating a query vertex including a traversal clause that represents a query of the graph database; generating a permission edge between the access role vertex and the query vertex, where the permission edge defines the access role's permission to access the results of the query; receiving a request to execute the query on behalf of the user; in response to the request, traversing the graph database according to the traversal clause to locate a set of vertices; and generating a set of results based on the set of vertices.