9 Unseen Vulnerabilities in Your Database and How to Mitigate Them
The reason most database administrators find their systems breached is because they overlooked certain unseen vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities exist due to a lack of understanding of the database structure, insufficient regular auditing, poor encryption, and a host of other overlooked measures. This lapse can have catastrophic effects on a business; data leaks, financial loss, and loss of customer trust.
It doesn't have to be this way, which is why we're discussing "9 Unseen Vulnerabilities in Your Database and How to Mitigate Them". We're going to walk you through:
- Understanding the Elements of a Database
- Regular Database Auditing
- Implementing Database Encryption
- ...and six more unseen vulnerabilities with actions on how to mitigate them.
Understanding these vulnerabilities and how to overcome them will help you prevent data breaches, save your company from potential financial loss, and uphold your customer's trust, ultimately improving your overall enterprise security. Let's begin with the first unseen vulnerability.
Understanding the Elements of a Database
Most times the issue with our system is not understanding the individual parts that make up the whole. In our quest to understand unseen vulnerabilities, we must first understand the building blocks of a database. Why is this important? The reason is pretty simple; comprehension of your database system aids your identification and mitigation of potential risks. A considerable 60% of businesses have databases that contain sensitive data (CSO Online), making it crucial to understand the components of these databases to protect such sensitive information effectively.
Ignoring the basics of a database structure can lead to gaping vulnerabilities. Assigning regular time to learn about your database infrastructure and its components is a great place to start. You could dedicate at least an hour a week to learn about each database component and how it interconnects with others.
So, the takeaway here is simple - understanding your database's infrastructure is the first step to identifying potential vulnerabilities. Now, let's consider the role of regular auditing.
Regular Database Auditing
You wouldn't go for years on end without checking your car’s engine, right? Why do the same with your database? Regular audits of your database can help you monitor its health and security and reveal vulnerabilities and areas which need improvement. After all, approximately 65% of data breaches occur as a result of misconfigurations, according to Symantec.
Continual auditing reduces the risk of data breaches due to these potential misconfigurations. However, ignoring routine audits can leave your database open to all sorts of security breaches. By adopting a standard practice of carrying out database audits every quarter, you will gain better control.
We're not suggesting you should make every quarter a grueling full audit; instead, concentrate on different areas each quarter. In essence, adopting a proactive approach through continuous auditing is quintessential in maintaining a secure database. Having stressed the importance of regular audits, let's move on to the necessity of database encryption.
Implementing Database Encryption
In the world of technology, encryption often serves as your trusty shield. By encrypting your database, you're adding an essential layer of protection that safeguards your data from unauthorized access. This protection is critical, considering that IBM estimates about 96% of all breached records were not encrypted.
Often, neglecting to encrypt data leaves sensitive information vulnerable and exposed to threats. Hence, it's important to match the levels of encryption to the sensitivity of your data – for instance, opting for AES encryption for extremely sensitive data and lesser encryption for less vital data.
In the event of a security compromise, good encryption can serve as your final defence. It's shooting yourself in the foot to ignore that. Next, let's focus on the importance of user education.
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Educating Database Users
In the final analysis, the human factor often makes or breaks a system's surety. An educated user is a line of defence for your database, as educated users can prevent a significant portion of data breaches. With human errors being responsible for 22% of data breaches (IBM), it's clear that educated users will steer clear of actions that might compromise your database.
Ignoring the role of users and neglecting their education is a risky strategy that can result in unnecessary vulnerabilities. A good practice is to organize regular training sessions for database users with updates on best practices. You could have one employee do a monthly round-up of best practices, bringing everyone on the same page.
To sum it up, education and awareness are crucial components of database security – a lesson worth taking to the bank.