Is Your Database Secure?

There are various ways that software flaws, configuration errors, and other errors might lead to data leaks.

The Most Common Database Security Threats

Here are a few of the most common reasons and types of database security cyber threats that are known to exist.

Inside Job Threats

The most common reason for database security breaches is an insider threat when many workers receive elevated access rights. One of the following insiders could be a security risk to the database:

• Infiltrator with nefarious motives
• The database has become vulnerable to assault due to the carelessness of a member of the organization.
• A third-party who acquires access to the database's credentials through social engineering or other means

Human Error

Nearly half of all reported data breaches result from weak passwords, password sharing, data deletion or damage due to human error, and other risky user activities.

The Exploitation of Database Software Vulnerabilities

Database management software is a high-value target for attackers, who continually search for and exploit flaws in software. Vulnerabilities in database management systems get found daily, and security updates get released frequently by both open source and commercial database software manufacturers. As long as these fixes aren't applied fast, your database may be vulnerable to attack.

A zero-day attack occurs when attackers exploit a vulnerability that the database vendor has not yet patched. This occurrence affects fixes even if they get applied on time.

SQL/NoSQL Injection Attacks

Using noSQL and SQL attack strings in database queries poses a database-specific risk. Queries made as web application forms or received through HTTP requests are the most common. Developers and organizations must adhere to safe programming principles and conduct frequent vulnerability testing to avoid these attacks.

Buffer Overflow Attacks

An instance of buffer overflow occurs when a process attempts to write an excessive quantity of data to a fixed-length memory block. A beginning point for an assault might be the unused data stored in nearby memory locations.

Denial of Service (DoS/DDoS) Attacks

A denial-of-service (DoS) attack involves sending a huge number of bogus requests to the target service, in this case, the database server. As a result, the server frequently crashes or becomes unstable and cannot process legitimate requests from real users.

Thousands of computers connected to an attacker's botnet create bogus traffic in a distributed denial-of-service assault (DDoS). This issue results in massive traffic volumes that are impossible to control without a highly scalable defense system. You may deal with large DDoS attacks using a cloud-based DDoS protection solution.

Best Defensive Practices

Good database security necessitates a defensive matrix of best practices and internal controls. Some of these are:

• Identifying infected endpoints, assessing database vulnerabilities, and categorizing sensitive data.
• Reducing user privileges and deleting inactive accounts.
• Data leakage, illegal SQL and large data transactions, and protocol and system threats may all get detected in real-time by closely monitoring all database access and use trends.
• Refusing to process any requests from a malicious website.
• A database audit and protection platform automates the auditing process.
• Encrypting databases and archiving data from outside sources.
• Instruction on risk mitigation strategies, including spear-phishing attack recognition, Internet and e-mail best practices, and password management for staff.

At the end of the day, the best way to secure your database involves utilizing proven tools for protecting against both common and uncommon database security threats. DBHawk effectively secures your database through both secure access control and security management for on-premise and cloud-hosted databases.