The European Banking Authority (EBA) outsourcing guidelines set strict rules for how third-party providers handle sensitive data. Database access is at the core of these rules. It decides who can see the data, how they connect, and what audit trails prove the connection was legitimate.
Compliance begins with defining access boundaries. Every outsourced service must have a documented data scope. No production access without reason. No administrative privileges unless approved in advance. Role-based permissions should be minimal and tailored to service needs, as EBA guidelines require.
Audit logging is non-negotiable. Every query, every change, every login attempt must be recorded. Logs must be immutable and stored securely. This satisfies EBA’s demand for traceability and guards against shadow access. Real-time alerting on anomalies is essential to detect breaches before they escalate.
Encryption stands as the next safeguard. All database connections to outsourced providers must use TLS. Credentials should be stored in a secrets manager, not hardcoded. Keys must be rotated on schedule, following your outsourcing policy and EBA timeline.