Security

Experience  |  Expertise  |  Excellence

To Ensure Your Data Security:
  • You need a secure physical environment
  • You need strong security policies and know they are followed.
  • You need to know that your database and operating system are appropriately patched.
  • You need to know that the network is locked down.
  • You need to know that your applications and interfaces are secured.
  • You need to know that your system and database managers have only the privileges that are required.

Engage us for an expert security risk assessment to find the gaps in your security and close them.

In order to ensure your Data Security, our Oracle or SQL Server database security assessment process includes the following:
  • Review of your database security policies
  • Review of compliance with your security policies
  • Comprehensive Database Audit using sophisticated automated tools that identify and report on thousands of vulnerabilities including misconfiguration, non-applied security patches, default and easily guessed passwords, and much more
  • User Rights Review that exposes unintended privileges with their privilege paths.
  • Report with detailed steps to mitigate vulnerabilities that were identified
  • Our data security experts can ensure compliance with all security compliance standards including PCI-DSS, HIPAA, NIST 800.53, DISA STIG, Sarbanes-Oxley, and GLBA

Don’t have a security policy yet, we also provide database security policy creation and implementation.

Database Security Roadmap

A Best Practices Guide from Buda Consulting

Secure the Data

Evaluate User Rights (present impact)
• What database users have access to sensitive data?

Evaluate DB Object Grant Strategy (future impact)
• Are privileges granted directly to users which may result in unintended privileges in the future?

Evaluate DBA Segregation of Duties
• Do DBA account privileges adhere to the principle of least privilege?

Evaluate Data Encryption
• Is data stored in plain text or is it encrypted?
• What kind of encryption is used?
• Where are the keys stored and how are they secured?

Evaluate Resource Controls
• Are user resource controls in place (user disk & CPU quotas)?

Evaluate Stored Procedure/Function Access and Visibility
• Is sensitive stored procedure code encrypted?
• Is read or execute access to powerful stored procedures protected from inappropriate users?

Evaluate Access Controls – Password Policies
• Is a strong password policy enforced?
• Are proper limits on login failures enforced?
• Is a password expiration policy enforced?

Evaluate Controls Required by Applicable Regulations:
• e.g.,HIPAA, PCI, Sarbanes Oxley

Secure the Physical Environment

• Are physical access controls in place to prevent unauthorized access to the data, systems, and networks the data resides on?
• Are physical/logical access controls in place for mobile devices?
• Are secure disposal controls in place for media/systems containing sensitive data?

Secure the Database Configuration

Evaluate DB Backup / BCP Strategy
• Are backups working as planned?
• How are backups transferred and secured?

Evaluate Software Patch configuration
• Is database patched with latest security patches

Evaluate Directory Structure and Security
• Are directories containing database control files and data files secured?

Evaluate Database Authentication
• Can an unauthorized user gain access to the database?

Evaluate Database audit Policy
• What database activities are being audited?
• Are the audit logs monitored?

Evaluate SQLNet configuration
• Is the SQLNET configuration password protected?
• Are log files set to minimum levels?
• Is EXTPROC removed from the sqlnet.ora configuration file?
• Is the listener port set to something other than default 1521?
• In a multi-tiered environment, are all servers blocked with the exception of the appropriate application and administration servers?

Secure the Network

Evaluate Network Security
• Are critical connections to the database environment secured in transit?
• Are the DBA workstations secure?

Evaluate Environment Segregation
• Are Dev, Staging, and Prod environments fully segregated?
• Is Prod data kept out of Dev and Staging environments?

Secure Data Ingress / Egress

Evaluate Application Security
• Are applications using the database secured against OWASP Top 10 attacks?
• Are database credentials stored in scripts for internal “applications” that access the data?

Evaluate Interface Security
• Are interfaces and supporting systems/processes holistically secured?
• Are data feeds validated & provable? 4Are feeds encrypted?

Evaluate Reporting/BI Security
• Is direct SQL access to the database appropriately restricted?
• Is access to business-critical data monitored?
• How are user-generated reports stored/secured?

Evaluate Third-Party Security
• Are security controls specified in third-party agreements for data analytics/processing?
• Is security attestation required from third parties handling sensitive data?

Secure the Database Server

Evaluate Host Security
• Is there a comprehensive approach to patch, vulnerability and configuration management?
• Is privileged access to the host appropriately limited?
• Is access to the host logged? Are the logs monitored?
• Are key configuration files protected against modification?

Evaluate Segregation of Duty
• Do administrator login rights adhere to the principle of least privilege?
• Are all users using unique passwords?
• Are DBA, System Admin, and Security Admin roles segregated?

Because data is only as secure as the systems & processes it relies on – a holistic approach to data security is essential. This roadmap is not meant to be exhaustive but rather to stimulate the necessary thought process to put you on the path to good data security. That’s a benefit to you – and your customers!

We help you manage your business-critical data.