What Are the Top Oracle Database Security Best Practices?

With SoftArt Solutions, you can get help deploying reliable data security solutions. We are a New Jersey-based Oracle consulting company that services the entire United States. Contact us today to discuss all your Oracle Database needs.  

Following attacks on MongoDB and MySQL databases that were misconfigured and other cyberattacks in the headlines, IT professionals have learned to follow Oracle Database security best practices. Some of these practices don’t require technical expertise, just some judicious thinking.

What Are the Most Critical Oracle Database Security Best Practices?

Here are the top Oracle Database security best practices to keep in mind when you plan, configure and use your system.

1. Get Rid of Default Passwords

Don’t use passwords that hackers can guess. Otherwise, none of your other security efforts matter much.

  • Ensure stored passwords are encrypted.
  • Use the Checkpwd tool to find weak passwords and change them.

2. Update and Patch

Maintain the latest version of the database management system. Developers are constantly improving Oracle Database and making it safer. The timetable of Critical Patch Updates is available here.

3. Manage Passwords

Verify the complexity of your passwords with the password verification function. The script is disable by default, but you can enable it with the following script when logged in as an administrator:

run the script.CONNECT SYS/AS SYSDBA

Enter password: password @$ORACLE_HOME/RDBMS/ADMIN/utlpwdmg.sql

4. Change Default Audit Settings

The Unified Audit Data Trail combines SYS.AUD$, SYS.FGA_LOG$, and DVSYS.AUDIT_TRAIL$ for the database audit trail, for fine-grained auditing, for Oracle Database Vault, and Oracle Label Security, respectively.

5. Manage Sensitive Data

Personal information, proprietary information, intellectual property, and protected health information must be handled with special care.

Is Oracle Database Encrypted?

Oracle Database uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt data. The encryption key can be found in the data dictionary but gets encrypted using another master key. You can encrypt an entire tablespace or individual columns.

What Forms of Security Are Applied to Oracle Database?

The Oracle database has three forms of security:

  • Authentication
  • Authorization
  • Auditing

Authentication keeps out non-legitimate users and authorization limits access to resources to permitted users. Finally, auditing documents when users access sensitive resources for accountability. These mechanisms protect data stored in your database, but they don’t protect the operating system files themselves.

What Is Used for Oracle Database Security?

Oracle Databases are attractive targets for cybercriminals. They contain high-value data that thieves would love to get their hands on. Infiltration of a single Oracle Database would result in millions of compromised records. Database security governs user actions on the database. Schemas and security domains restrict the use of database resources.

There are security tools to protect your valuable data, including:

With SoftArt Solutions, you can get help deploying reliable data security solutions. We are a New Jersey-based Oracle consulting company that services the entire United States. Contact us today to discuss all your Oracle Database needs.