Database Security

Database Security

Contents
1. Goal
2. Message
3. Database Security Threats
4. Control of Threats
5. Summary

Database Security
Goals
Understand security issues in:
a general database system environment
a specific DBMS (Oracle, MySQL, MSSQL)
environment
Consider database security issues in context of
general security principles and ideas
Consider issues relating to both database storage and
database system communication with other
applications
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Database Security
Main Message
Database system security is more than securing the
database:
Secure database
Secure DBMS
Secure applications / application development
Secure operating system in relation to database
system
Secure web server in relation to database system
Secure network environment in relation to database system

Database Security

The enterprise database

infrastructure is subject to
an overwhelming range of
threats because of the word
INFORMATION
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Database Security
Security
is the degree of resistance to, or protection
from, harm.
It applies to any vulnerable and valuable
asset, such as a person, dwelling,
community, nation, or organization.
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Database Security
Definition of Database Security
concerns the use of a broad range of information security
controls to protect databases (potentially including the data, the
database applications or stored functions, the database systems, the
database servers and the associated network links) against
compromises of their confidentiality, integrity and availability.

Database Security Threats(Top 10)

1. Excessive and Unused Privileges
2. Privilege Abuse
3. SQL Injection
4. Malware
5. Weak Audit Trail
6. Storage Media Exposure
7. Exploitation of Vulnerabilities and Misconfigured Databases
8. Unmanaged Sensitive Data
9. Denial of Service
10. Limited Security Expertise and Education

Database Security Threats(Top 10)

1. Excessive and Unused Privileges

When someone is granted database

privileges that exceed the requirements of
their job function, these privileges can be
abused.

Database Security Threats(Top 10)

1. Excessive and Unused Privileges (cont.)

Actual Scenario:
For example, a bank employee whose job requires the ability to
change only accountholder contact information may take advantage
of excessive database privileges and increase the account balance
of a colleagues savings account. Further, when someone leaves an
organization, often his or her access rights to sensitive data do not
change. And, if these workers depart on bad terms, they can use
their old privileges to steal high value data or inflict damage.
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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

1. Excessive and Unused Privileges (cont.)
How do users end up with excessive privileges?
Usually, its because privilege control mechanisms for job roles have
not been well defined or maintained. As a result, users may be
granted generic or default access privileges that far exceed their
specific job requirements.
This creates unnecessary RISK.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

2. Privilege Abuse

Users will abuse legitimate database

privileges for unauthorized purposes.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

2. Privilege Abuse (cont.)

Actual Scenario:
Consider an internal healthcare application used to view
individual patient records via a custom Web interface. The Web
application normally limits users to viewing an individual patients
healthcare historymultiple patient records cannot be viewed
simultaneously and electronic copies are not allowed.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

2. Privilege Abuse (cont.)

Actual Scenario:
However, a rogue user might be able to circumvent these restrictions
by connecting to the database using an alternative client such as MSExcel. Using Excel and their legitimate login credentials, the user
could retrieve and save all patient records to their laptop.
Once patient records reach a client machine, the data then becomes
susceptible to a wide variety of possible breach scenarios.
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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

3. SQL Injection

Structured Query Language(SQL)

is a standard computer language for relational
database management and data manipulation.
SQL is used to query, insert, update and
modify data.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

3. SQL Injection (cont.)
A successful SQL injection attack can give someone
unrestricted access to an entire database. SQL injection
involves inserting (or injecting) unauthorized or malicious
database statements into a vulnerable SQL data channel
such as a Web application or stored procedure.
If these injected statements are executed by the database,
critical data stores can be viewed, copied, and altered.
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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

3. SQL Injection (cont.)

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

3. SQL Injection (cont.) Attack
Definition:
- inserting malicious SQL code through an application
interface
Often through web application, but possible with any interface

Typical Scenario:
Three-tier application (web interface, application, database)
Overall application tracks own usernames and passwords in
database (advantage: can manage users in real time)
Web interface accepts username and password, passes these to
application layer as parameters

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

4. Malware
Cybercriminals, state-sponsored hackers, and spies use
advanced attacks that blend multiple tacticssuch as
spear phishing emails and malware to penetrate
organizations and steal sensitive data.
Unaware that malware has infected their device,
legitimate users become a conduit for these groups to
access your networks and sensitive data.
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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

5. Weak Audit Trail
Automated recording of database transactions involving
sensitive data should be part of any database
deployment. Failure to collect detailed audit records of
database activity represents a serious organizational risk
on many levels.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

5. Weak Audit Trail (cont.)
When users access the database via enterprise Web
applications (such as SAP, Oracle E-Business Suite, or
PeopleSoft) it can be challenging to understand what
database access activity relates to a specific user. Most
audit mechanisms have no awareness of who the end
user is because all activity is associated with the Web
application account name. Reporting, visibility, and
forensic analysis are hampered because there is no link
to the responsible user.
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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

5. Weak Audit Trail (cont.)
Finally, users with administrative access to the database,
either legitimately or maliciously obtained, can turn off
native database auditing to hide fraudulent activity. Audit
duties should ideally be separate from both database
administrators and the database server platform to
ensure strong separation of duties (SOD) policies.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

6. Storage Media Exposure
Backup storage media is often
completely unprotected from
attack.
As a result, numerous security
breaches have involved the theft of
database backup disks and tapes.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

6. Storage Media Exposure (cont.)
Furthermore, failure to audit and monitor the activities of
administrators who have low-level access to
sensitive information can put your data at risk.
Taking the appropriate measures to protect backup copies of
sensitive data and monitor your most highly privileged users is
not only a data security best practice, but also mandated by
many regulations.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

7. Exploitation of Vulnerabilities and Misconfigured
Databases
It is common to find vulnerable and un-patched
databases, or discover databases that still have default
accounts and configuration parameters.
Attackers know how to exploit these vulnerabilities to
launch attacks against your organization.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

7. Exploitation of Vulnerabilities and Misconfigured
Databases (cont.)
Unfortunately, organizations often struggle to stay on-top
of maintaining database configurations even when
patches are available. It generally takes organizations
months to patch databases once a patch is available.
During the time your databases are un-patched, they
remain vulnerable.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

8. Unmanaged Sensitive Data

Many companies struggle to maintain

an accurate inventory of their
databases and the critical data
objects contained within them.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

8. Unmanaged Sensitive Data (cont.)
Forgotten databases may contain sensitive information,
and new databases can emergee.g., in application
testing environments without visibility to the security
team.
Sensitive data in these databases will be exposed to
threats if the required controls and permissions are not
implemented.
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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

9. Denial of Service
Denial of Service (DoS) is a general attack category in
which access to network applications or data is denied to
intended users.

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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

9. Denial of Service (cont.)
Example:
The most common technique used in database environments
is to overload server resources such as memory and CPU by
flooding the network with database queries that ultimately
cause the server to crash.
The motivations behind DoS attacks are often linked to
extortion scams in which a remote attacker will repeatedly
crash servers until the victim meets their demands. Whatever
the source, DoS represents a serious threat for many
organizations.
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Database Security Threats(Top 10)

10. Limited Security
Expertise & Education
Internal security controls are not
keeping pace with data growth and
many organizations are ill-equipped
to deal with a security breach.
Often this is due to the lack of
expertise required to implement
security controls, policies, and
training.

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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment
2. User Rights Management
3. Monitoring and Blocking
4. Auditing
5. Data Protection
6. Non-Technical Security
7. Others . . .
- Operating System Security best practice
- DBMS best practice
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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment
locate where database vulnerabilities and critical data
reside.

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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment (cont.)
Scan for Vulnerabilities:
Understanding vulnerabilities that expose databases to SQL
injection is essential. Malware may be looking to exploit known
database vulnerabilities, making un-patched databases an easy
target.
Weak authentication rules can enable a DoS attack by granting
access to a database without needing a password. Use vulnerability
assessment tools to detect security vulnerabilities,
misconfigurations, and missing vendor patches.
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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment (cont.)
Calculate Risk Scores:
Score risks based on the severity of vulnerabilities and the
sensitivity of the data. Severity values should be based on known
systems such as the Common Vulnerability Scoring System
(CVSS). Risk scores help prioritize risk, manage, and research
vulnerabilities.
In this case, higher risk scores would relate to SQL injection.

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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment (cont.)
Mitigate Vulnerabilities
If a vulnerability is discovered and the database vendor hasnt
released a patch, a virtual patching solution should be used.
Applying virtual patches will block attempts to exploit vulnerabilities
without requiring actual patches or changes to the current
configuration of the server. Virtual patching will protect the database
from exploit attempts until the patch is deployed.
Focus on patching high-risk vulnerabilities that can facilitate DoS and
SQL injection attack.
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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment (cont.)

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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment (cont.)
Identify Compromised Endpoints
Identify malware-infected hosts so that you can
prevent these devices from accessing sensitive
information in databases as well as unstructured
data stores.
Once you identify compromised devices, you
should apply controls to sensitive data to restrict
those devices from accessing and exfiltrating
data.
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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment (cont.)
Analyze Risk and Prioritize Remediation Efforts
Use reports and analytical tools to understand risks and
help prioritize remediation efforts.

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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment (cont.)
Discover Database Servers
In order to build and maintain an inventory of databases
and isolate sensitive data contained within them,
organizations should first catalog all databases in their
data centers. Leverage discovery tools that scan
enterprise networks and identify active database
services.

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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment (cont.)
Analyze Discovery Results
Review database discovery and classification results to
determine which databases that store sensitive
data need to be monitored.

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Database Security Threats Control

1. Discovery and Assessment (cont.)
Identify and Classify Sensitive Data
Once you have constructed a catalog of databases, it is
critical to understand which databases contain sensitive
data. Scan the objects, rows, and columns of databases to
pinpoint sensitive data. Use data classification solutions
that are aware of data types such as credit cards, email
addresses, and national identity numbers, and which
enable users to add custom
data types as well.
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Database Security Threats Control

2. User Rights Management
Aggregate Access Rights
Scan databases for both granted and privileged user rights and
extract details such as the actual access right (e.g. SELECT,
DELETE, CONNECT, etc), who granted them, who received those
rights, and objects to which rights have been granted.
Aggregating user rights into a single repository helps streamline the
reporting and analysis of user access to sensitive data.

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Database Security Threats Control

2. User Rights Management (cont.)
Enrich Access Rights Information with User Details and Data
Sensitivity
Adding information related to user roles and their
database behavior adds considerable value to user rights analysis
and helps zero-in on the abuse of privileges. Collect and append
contextual details to user rights information including the user name,
department, database object sensitivity, and last time accessed.
This allows you to focus your analysis on the access rights that
represent the highest business risk
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Database Security Threats Control

2. User Rights Management (cont.)
Identify and Remove Excessive Rights and Dormant Users
Identify users that have too many privileges and users who dont
use their privileges. This helps determine if user access rights are
appropriately defined, find separation of duties issues, and remove
excessive rights that are not required for users to do their job.
Hackers use access rights to impersonate users and go after
sensitive data stores.
Therefore, reducing excessive rights helps protect against malware
compromise.
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Database Security Threats Control

2. User Rights Management (cont.)
Review and Approve/Reject Individual User Rights
Perform an organized review of user rights to determine if they are
appropriate. Reviewers should approve or reject rights, or assign
them to another for review, and administrators can report on the
review process. Conducting organized user rights reviews meets
regulatory requirements and reduces risk by ensuring that user
privileges are granted on a need-to-know basis

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Database Security Threats Control

2. User Rights Management (cont.)
Extract Real User Identity
Leverage solutions that correlate user information with database
transactions, also known as Universal User Tracking, or UUT. The
resulting audit logs can then include unique application user names.

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Database Security Threats Control

3. Monitoring & Blocking
Real-Time Alerting and Blocking
Monitor all database access activity and usage patterns in real time to
detect data leakage, unauthorized SQL transactions, and protocol and
system attacks. When attempts to access unauthorized data occur,
generate alerts or terminate the user session. Use a solution that
leverages policiesboth pre-defined and customthat inspect
database traffic to identify patterns that correspond to known attacks,
such as DoS attacks, and unauthorized activities. Security policies
are useful for not only detecting excessive privilege abuse by
malicious, compromised, or dormant users, but also for preventing
most of the other top ten database threats.
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Database Security Threats Control

3. Monitoring & Blocking (cont.)
Detect Unusual Access Activity
Establish a comprehensive profile of each database users normal
activity. These baselines provide the basis for detecting DoS,
malware, SQL injection, and anomalous activities. If any user
initiates an action that does not fit their profile, log the event,
generate an alert or block the user. Creating activity-based user
profiles increases the likelihood of detecting inappropriate access to
sensitive data.

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Database Security Threats Control

3. Monitoring & Blocking (cont.)
Block Malicious Web Requests
Because Web applications are the most common vector for initiating
a SQL injection attack; the first line of defense is to use a Web
Application Firewall (WAF). A WAF will recognize and block SQL
injection attack patterns that originate from Web applications.

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Database Security Threats Control

3. Monitoring & Blocking (cont.)
Block Malicious Web Requests
To protect against SQL Injection attacks, a WAF should:
1. Inspect HTTP parameter values for special characters like
apostrophes and brackets and know whether these characters are
expected or indicative of an attack.
2. Use application signatures and policies of known SQL injection
patterns to alert and block..
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Database Security Threats Control

3. Monitoring & Blocking (cont.)
Monitor Local Database Activity
Database Audit & Protection (DAP) solutions can audit and monitor
the activities of your most highly privileged usersdatabase and
system administrators.
These users have been granted the highest levels of access to your
databases; they require this access in order to perform their jobs.
Should they abuse their privileges or become compromised by
malware, the risks of data theft and damage to your organization
increases.
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Database Security Threats Control

3. Monitoring & Blocking (cont.)
Monitor Local Database Activity
DAP solutions can audit and monitor the activities of your most
highly privileged usersdatabase and system administrators.
These users have been granted the highest levels of access to your
databases; they require this access in order to perform their jobs.
Should they abuse their privileges or become compromised by
malware, the risks of data theft and damage to your organization
increases.

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Database Security Threats Control

3. Monitoring & Blocking (cont.)
Impose Connection Controls
Prevent server resource overload by limiting connection rates, query
rates, and other variables for each database user.

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Database Security Threats Control

3. Monitoring & Blocking (cont.)
Validate Database Protocols
Leverage database activity monitoring solutions that can analyze
the protocol and isolate random/anomalous communications. When
atypical communication events are detected, the solution should
trigger an alert or block the transaction.

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Database Security Threats Control

2. Monitoring & Blocking (cont.)
Response Timing
Database DoS attacks designed to overload server resources lead
to delayed database responses. This includes delays in both
individual query responses and the overall system. Use solutions
that monitor response timing and generate alerts when response
delays or system sluggishness is observed.

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Database Security Threats Control

4. Auditing
Automate Auditing with a DAP Platform
Implement a DAP solution that delivers the performance, scalability,
and flexibility to meet the needs of the most demanding
environments.
A DAP solution can address most of the weaknesses associated
with native audit tools:

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Database Security Threats Control

4. Auditing (cont.)
Automate Auditing with a DAP Platform
Separation of Duties:
DAP solutions operate independently of database administers,
making it possible to separate audit duties from administrative
duties. In addition, they operate independently of the database
server and are invulnerable to privilege elevation attacks carried out
by non-administrators.

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Database Security Threats Control

4. Auditing (cont.)
Automate Auditing with a DAP Platform
Cross-Platform Auditing
DAP solutions support database platforms from multiple vendors
enabling uniform standards and centralized audit operations across
large and distributed heterogeneous database environments.

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Database Security Threats Control

4. Auditing (cont.)
Automate Auditing with a DAP Platform
Performance
Leading DAP solutions can leverage appliances that operate at line
speed and have zero impact on database performance. In fact, by
offloading audit processes to network appliances rather than using
native auditing, organizations can expect to improve database
performance.

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Database Security Threats Control

4. Auditing (cont.)
Capture Detailed Transactions
To support regulatory compliance requirements, advanced fraud
detection, and forensic analysis, DAP solutions can capture audit
logs that include details such as source application name, complete
query text, query response attributes, source OS, source host
name, and more. Use auditing rules to collect the required
information needed for regulatory compliance (e.g. SOX, PCI DSS,
and HIPPA) or to meet internal audit requirements

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Database Security Threats Control

4. Auditing (cont.)
Generate Reports for Compliance and Forensics
Summarize and format database activity details into reports that
help meet compliance requirements, conduct forensic
investigations, communicate vital database activity statistics, and
monitor system
performance. Leverage DAP solutions that include reports for
industry and government regulations which can be customized to
meet business needs.

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Database Security Threats Control

5. Data Protection
Archive External Data
Automate the long-term data archival processes. Use solutions that
can be configured to periodically archive data to external mass
storage systems. Data should be optionally compressed, encrypted,
and signed prior to archival.

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Database Security Threats Control

5. Data Protection (cont.)
Encrypt Databases
Encrypt sensitive data across heterogeneous database
environments. This allows you to secure both production
and backup copies of databases, then audit the activity of and
control access to sensitive data from users who access databases
at the operating system and storage tiers.
By leveraging database auditing along with encryption,
organizations can monitor and control users both inside and outside
of the database.
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Database Security Threats Control

6. Non-Technical Security(cont.)
Cultivate Experienced Security Professionals
To defend against a growing array of internal and external threats, hire
information security personnel that are well versed in IT Security and
have experience implementing, administering, and monitoring security
solutions.
Ongoing education and training are also important for growing deeper
security knowledge and skills. Consider outside IT security and
specialists to help with implementation, conduct security assessments
and penetration tests, and provide training and support for your
administrators.
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Database Security Threats Control

6. Non-Technical Security(cont.)
Educate Your Workforce
Train your workforce on risk mitigation techniques including how to
recognize common cyber-threats (e.g. a spear-phishing attack), best
practices around Internet and email usage, and password
management.
Failure to enforce training and create a security conscious work
culture increases the chances of a security breach. The end result is
well-informed users who are trained to securely function when
connected to key systems.
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Database Security Threats Control

7. Others

Operating System Security Best Practice

1. Goal minimize attack surface
2. Dedicated MySQL, MS-SQL, Oracle Server
- consider hardware firewall and software firewall

3. Minimize Service(daemons) Load

- consider the word Least Service
- the more service it running, the more potential on its attack surface

4. Minimize Operating System Account in Server / DB Machine

- OS account is not equal to MySQL account
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Database Security Threats Control

7. Others (cont.)

DBMS Best Practices

1. Dont run MySQL as root(Administrator account) instead run it in
standard privilege.
2. Physically separate production from development boxes
3. Change DBMS default port
4. Remove default database accounts
5. Remove default tables (like table test)
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Summary

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Summary

Failing to safeguard databases that store sensitive data

can cripple your operations, result in regulatory
violations, and destroy your brand.
Understanding the top database threats and
implementing the solutions outlined in this paper will
enable you to recognize when youre vulnerable or being
attacked, maintain security best practices, and ensure
that your most valuable assets are protected.

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References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_security
http://www.imperva.com/docs/WP_TopTen_Database_Threats.pdf
http://www.techopedia.com/definition/1245/structured-query-languag
e-sql
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/B19306_01/network.102/b14266/reqthret.
htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security

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The End
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