Database security management is a small part of 'computer network security'. Database security consists of maintaining security standards for a database environment. These standards may include the best practices for database security available on an international scale.
Such practices may include the provision of an intrusion detection system, application of firewalls both in the form of hardware and software and using routers for protection of databases. Database security management is the process of securing the database environment by formulating policies and implementing them towards data security.
Database Security Management: Recognizing Database Security Threats
It is a general misconception on the part of companies and organizations that the only threat to their secure databases is from external sources i.e., individuals or malware but an internal threat also exists.
Adrian Lane, Chief technology Officer, IPLocks, in an article titled, ' A Database Security management White paper: Securing the information Business relies on ' published in technologyexecutivesclub, says clearly that most of the security tools designed to monitor suspicious activities is designed for protection from external threats and not internal, and regular monitoring of the employees making changes to the database is equally important to control data manipulation.
Not ignoring the fact that external threats still remain persistent to cause heavy damage to database security, regular updates to secure the database environment from these threats is also necessary.
There can be a variety of threats to a database security.
- A user granted more access to a database than required may try to misuse his powers to manipulate the database.
- A user who has only limited rights to access a database somehow manages to exploit a vulnerability in the database structure to gain administrative rights to manipulate the database.
- The vulnerabilities in the underlying platform such as the operating system upon which the database functions or the base software that a database uses may allow threats to get converted into negative impacts on the database.
- Another common threat is the famous Denial of Service (DoS) attack that prevents authorized and legitimate users or programs from accessing information from a database.
- Unauthorized personnel gain access to login credentials of legitimate users and use this information to gain access to the database for wrong reasons including manipulating or stealing the data.
For a more detailed description of database security threats, read the document Top Ten Database Security Threats by Amichai Shulman published in schell.com.
Database Security Management and Database Security Software
Database security management is an integral part of computer network security. It again involves a series of steps which can be very broadly classified. The first step would involve recognizing the threats to database security, both external and internal. Once all possible threats have been recognized, a security policy must be formulated and then implemented into a database security program or database security software that protects the database environment.
A database security software works mostly in collaboration with a network security software. A database security software must include some essential layers for protecting the database. The first layer must consist of strong authentication procedures that would allow only legitimate users to access the database as the use of phishing websites and dummy webpages has increased over the years to gain confidential information.
Another important factor that most database security systems deploy nowadays is the regular monitoring of real time traffic accessing the database. Such activity is called Database Activity Monitoring or DAM. Such monitoring helps discover a regular pattern of database activity which can further be used to find out a sudden change or irregular activity.
A continuous review of permissions granted to users and administrators of the database must be done. Sufficient encryption must be provided to the login details of individual users.
Database Security Software is Built to Implement Database Security management Program
Database security software are an implementation of the database security management program. They work in collaboration with network security software to form the complete computer security software as the maximum risk to databases still exists from the networks that the database is connected to.
Ashutosh Tiwari - Ashutosh Tiwari is an engineer by profession, specialized in Computer Science. With SCJD and SCJP certifications, he works in the field of ...
