Catalyzing database inference with fuzzy relations

Inference analysis plays a major role in database security and knowledge discovery. Common sense knowledge, typically expressed in imprecise or fuzzy terms, can be introduced as catalytic relations to existing databases. Analyzing the augmented databases materializes new rules and latent compromising inference channels based on common knowledge and existing database data. The paper shows how fuzzy relations can be used to catalyze new inferences in database systems. A knowledge discovery tool for analyzing catalytic inference in Oracle databases is described.