Implementing Powerful Security Controls with Oracle Database Vault

By CIOReview | Monday, September 9, 2019

Preventing the existing database environments more securely at minimal cost and time.

FREMONT, CA: In this IT-driven world, there is a vast amount of data controlling the entire workflow of organizations. As this data grows exponentially, it is evident from the data breaches executed that there are no enough security measures to protect them against attack from both inside and outside of an organization. In reality, attacks from outside are on the rise, and these attackers target highly sensitive data that have a monetary value. Especially, stealing trusted users' credentials is one of the frequent attacks caused by hackers, advanced persistent threats (APT) organized criminals, and insiders. These organizations tend to protect highly privileged users from accessing sensitive data because privileged accounts are the only way to access their valuable details by attackers.

In this regard, Oracle Database Vault helps setting parameters such that even the most privileged users can access sensitive data in a specific way. For example, one can restrict administrative access to customer medical records, employee salaries by HR, or other confidential information. It guards data from super privileged users and at the same time, allows them to maintain the organization’s Oracle database. Thus, it implements robust security controls enabling organizations to prevent privileged accounts from being exploited by intruders and insiders to access sensitive application data.

Oracle Database Vault realms around application schemas, stored procedures, and sensitive tables related to sales, accounting, or human resources. It helps organizations to comply with data privacy laws and standards and prevent changes caused intentionally as well maliciously from disrupting. Utilizing IP addresses along with specific usernames and other factors are a part of its security control that provides enhanced restriction. For example, if there is an IP limitation, data access is restricted to certain countries preventing the attack from overseas.

It allows organizations to provide a check and balance with their users in terms of separating duties, thus restricting each user’s privileges only to the tasks he or she is responsible for, rather than granting many rights to a single user.

With Oracle Database Vault, the most challenging security problems existing today are addressed, including protection against insider threats while meeting regulatory compliance requirements, and enforce separation of duty. One can install Oracle Database Vault on standalone Oracle Database installations, and in Oracle Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC) environments, and in multiple Oracle homes. To add, Oracle Database Vault is compatible with any enterprise architecture eliminating the need to deploy additional servers and agents.