Database Security: Protecting Your Data from Unauthorized Access

Database security refers to the tools, rules, and mechanisms to establish and maintain database confidentiality, integrity, and availability. This article will concentrate on secrecy because it is the most commonly violated factor in data breaches.

The following must be addressed and protected by database security:

– Database’s information

– DBMS

– Any related apps

– The real or virtual database server, as well as the supporting hardware

– The computational or network infrastructure that is utilized to connect to the database.

Then, I will discuss common threats and focus on insider threats. Insider threats are one of the most prevalent causes of database security breaches, and they are frequently the result of granting privileged user access credentials to an excessive number of workers. Examples of insider threats include human error, exploitation of database software vulnerabilities, SQL/NoSQL injection attacks, buffer overflow exploitations, malware, attacks on backups, DoS/DdoS attacks. I will briefly discuss SQL/NoSQL injection attacks, buffer overflow exploitations, malware, DoS/DdoS attacks.

SQL/NoSQL injection attacks

These are database-specific threats in which arbitrary SQL/NoSQL attack strings are inserted into database requests served by web apps via HTTP headers. Organizations that do not adhere to secure web application coding principles or do regular vulnerability testing are vulnerable to these attacks.

Buffer overflow exploitations

When a process attempts to write more data to a fixed-length block of memory than it is permitted to store, it causes a buffer overflow. Attackers may utilize the surplus data stored in nearby memory locations as a launching pad for assaults.

Malware

Malware is software designed to exploit weaknesses or otherwise harm a database. Malware can enter the database’s network through any endpoint device.

DoS/DDos attacks

In a denial of service (DoS) attack, the attacker floods the target server, in this example, the database server with so many requests that the server cannot fulfill genuine requests from actual users, and, in many circumstances, the server will crash.

Then, I will give you the best solutions for preventing common threats I’ve previously discussed. The solution includes physical security, administrative and network access control, end-user account/device security, data encryption, database software security, application/web server security, backup security, and auditing. In this article, I will explore more deeply what data encryption is.

Database encryption is an important security feature that safeguards sensitive data from unauthorized access or alteration. Two types of data encryption can be used to protect data in a database: symmetric and asymmetric encryption.

Symmetric encryption is a kind of encryption that employs the usage of the same key for both encryption and decryption. This method is quick and efficient, but it also requires that the key be kept hidden and safe, as anybody with access to it may decode the data. Data Encryption Standards (DES), Triple DES, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Twofish, and Blowfish are five symmetric encryption techniques.

Asymmetric encryption, commonly known as public-key encryption, encrypts and decrypts using a pair of keys. The public key is used to encrypt data, while the private key is used to decode it. This enables secure communication without the need for secret keys to be exchanged. Asymmetric encryption methods include RSA, Public key Infrastructure (PKI), and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC).

Aside from these encryption methods, other techniques exist to encrypt a database. Encrypting the entire database, or whole database encryption, is a frequent approach. This strategy ensures that all data in the database is secure, but it can significantly impact performance.

Column-level encryption is another method for encrypting specific columns or fields within a database. You may use column-level encryption to encrypt only the most sensitive data while leaving less critical data unprotected. It may be a more realistic alternative for extensive databases, allowing you to balance security and performance.

Database encryption safeguards sensitive information against unauthorized access or manipulation. It is critical in a data breach since encrypted data is only helpful to an attacker who has the correct decryption key. Database encryption can also help you comply with rules and industry standards that require sensitive data to be protected.

Reference:

● IBM. What is database security? Retrieved from https://www.ibm.com/topics/database-security

● IBM. What is encryption? Data encryption defined. Retrieved from https://www.ibm.com/topics/encryption