Unearth the intricacies of Database Security and acquire knowledge on security threats, advised best practices, types of testing, methodologies, and processes:
This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of database security, various threats it faces, the importance of securing databases, and the tools available for conducting Database Security Testing.
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We will additionally discuss best practices for securing databases, diverse types of database security testing, processes for testing, and various techniques.
Table of Contents:
Understanding Database Security
Database Security refers to a variety of controls and protective measures used to safeguard databases against malicious attacks. It includes protective measures established to protect the database management system that accesses the data.
Many businesses often neglect the importance of database security, ignoring that cybercriminals usually target databases that contain valuable and sensitive information. Ensuring the database is secure is essential for preserving the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of business information.
Businesses should prioritize not just securing the database but also making certain that the underlying infrastructure, such as the network and servers, is secure.
Cybercriminals continuously devise new ways to breach databases and steal valuable data. Therefore, it’s crucial for organizations to ensure that their database security measures are robust to withstand potential attacks.
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Top Practices for Database Security
While there are numerous strategies for securing databases, businesses should adopt the following best practices to maximize protection and minimize risk:
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While each practice can be applied separately, the most effective method is to use them collectively in order to secure business databases:
- Implement robust credentials and multi-factor access to restrict unauthorized access.
- Carry out load/stress testing on the database to ascertain its stability and availability during distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks or high user traffic.
- Apply physical security measures, such as securing server rooms and monitoring physical access, to avoid unauthorized entry.
- Maintain the physical hardware regularly and establish a disaster recovery plan that includes regular database backups to mitigate potential disruptions.
- Avoid placing web servers and applications on the same server as the database to minimize database compromise through web vulnerabilities.
- Regularly scrutinize existing systems for vulnerabilities and address any identified weaknesses to enhance overall protection.
- Use data encryption for securing corporate data’s confidentiality and integrity while it’s in motion and at rest.
- Set up perimeter layer firewalls and implement web application firewalls (WAFs) to prevent unauthorized network access and potential data breaches.
- Apply database encryption to ensure data security directly within the database. Encryption can be applied both to data in motion and at rest.
- Securely manage passwords and user permissions to maintain database security. This includes frequently updating passwords and implementing dual or multiple authentications.
- Isolate sensitive databases to make unauthorized access considerably more difficult. Ideally, unauthorized users should not even be aware of the existence of sensitive databases.
- Introduce change management processes to protect databases during any adjustments, including documenting and tracking all changes, to safeguard business data.
- Conduct routine database audits by reviewing log files to monitor database access, examine actions performed, and identify any suspicious activities.
Implications of Inadequate Database Security
Database security is essential for businesses with online operations. Without adequate database security measures, businesses risk data loss or compromise, which can severely impact their financials and reputation.
Inadequate database security can result in the following detrimental effects:
- Brand Damage: A confirmed data breach can significantly damage an organization’s brand and reputation. The company loses customers’ and business partners’ trust and faith when it fails to secure their data, leading to patronage loss.
- Disruption in Business Continuity: Businesses targeted by database intrusion often struggle to recover; some may even stop operations until the breach is resolved. Database security should be an integral part of a company’s business continuity strategy to mitigate potential disruptions.
- Exposure of Intellectual Property : Breaches expose sensitive proprietary documents, trade secrets, and intellectual property which competitors can exploit to gain an unfair market advantage.
- Financial Loss: Managing a confirmed data breach incurs costs related to customer communication, incident management, system repairs, and forensic investigations.
- Compliance Fines and Penalties: Businesses must adhere to security standards to continue operations. Failing to comply can lead to fines and penalties, such as those outlined in regulations like GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and more.
Major Threats to Database
Although many internal and external threats target databases, this guide will specifically focus on the following principal threats:
#1) Unchecked Database Privileges
Unchecked database privileges occur when database users are given excessive access rights which they might abuse. This abuse may be carried out by both current and former employees.
Controls that can be implemented for tackling this threat include:
- Enforcing strict access and privilege control policies
- Avoiding the granting of excessive access rights and promptly deactivating obsolete privileges
#2) SQL Injections
SQL injection attacks involve the insertion of malicious code through the web application’s front-end that gets passed to the back-end, providing unauthorized database access. Attackers aim to steal or corrupt data. Traditional databases are primarily targeted by SQL injections, while big data databases are targeted by NoSQL injections.
#3) Inefficient Audit Trail
For audit purposes, all database events should be recorded. A lack of audit trail presents a considerable security risk as it becomes impossible to investigate intrusions without appropriate logs.
#4) Revealed Database Backups
Exposed database backups are susceptible to compromise and theft. Some security breaches have occurred because database backups were left unsecured. Encrypting and auditing both production databases and backups are pivotal for protecting sensitive business data.
#5) Database Misconfiguration
Database misconfigurations lead to vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. Default accounts and configuration settings should be avoided during the database configuration process. Properly configuring the database makes it more difficult for intruders to gain unauthorized access.
#6) A Shortage of Security Expertise
The absence of security expertise and non-adherence to basic database security rules increase the risk of data breaches. Security staff should be equipped with the required knowledge to effectively implement security controls and policies.
#7) Denial of Service (DoS)
Denial of Service (DoS) attacks disrupt the availability of services, adversely affecting database server performance and making database services inaccessible to users. A DoS attack during pivotal financial data access, for instance, can result in financial losses.
#8) Inefficient Data Management
Inadequate management of sensitive data exposes businesses to risks. Failure to maintain an accurate data inventory and not securing new data added to the database can result in unauthorized access. Implementing proper data encryption and access controls are crucial.
Testing Database Security
Why is it Necessary to Conduct Database Security Testing? Database Security Testing aims to