Overview

There are many ways to attack a database. External attacks may exploit configuration weaknesses that expose the database server. An insecure Web application may also be used to exploit the database. For example, an application that is granted too much privilege in the database or one that does not validate its input can put your database at risk.

Internal threats should not be overlooked. Have you considered the rogue administrator with network access? What about the database user tricked into running malicious code? For that matter, could any malicious code on the network compromise your database?

This chapter begins by reviewing the most common threats that affect database servers. It then uses this perspective to create a methodology. This chapter then puts the methodology into practice and takes a step-by-step approach that shows you how to improve your database server's security.