One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for sharing a security context between different sessions on a database server. The system operates by receiving a request at the database server through a database session between the database server and an application on a database client. The system looks up an identifier for an application client that was previously associated with the database session. The system uses this identifier to look up the security context containing attributes related to the application client within a storage area associated with the database server. Next, the system performs a database operation to satisfy the request and in doing so enforces access rights associated with the security context. In one embodiment of the present invention, the request includes a database query directed to a database on the database server. In one embodiment of the present invention, performing the database operation involves modifying the database query to enforce access rights associated with the security context. In one embodiment of the present invention, the identifier for the application client identifies a user of the application that is sending the request to the database server. In one embodiment of the present invention, the database client is an application server that is sending the request to the database server, and the identifier for the application client identifies an application session between the application on the application server and the client of the application.