Things to do when your data is under attack
Data breach and security has always been a progressing fight since long time. The risks of data theft or snatching and swapping are getting higher with each year. Most organizations spend so much capita just to keep their information and database systems and frameworks protected and secure.
In 2014 alone, eBay, one of the biggest ecommerce website to date has endured a gigantic cyber-attack. It is also revealed by them that hackers managed to steal personal information of 233 million users. That data incorporates usernames, passwords, physical address and telephone numbers, which utilized for identity theft or fraud. At this day and age of increased security risks comes requirement for an intensive data security measures. Have a look on the accompanying areas of concern in database security and what measures we can do about it.
Data Entry Errors
This is often overlooked as a risk since most database frameworks has edit or updating functionality. At the point when information passage slips begin to amass, it influences the execution of the database framework. More often than not, identifiers are utilized as a part of every database to recognize same information (for instance Name) inside the framework. There is a danger however went with this practice, as it is more inclined to personality burglaries.
Keeping in mind the end goal to dodge this, we can work on scrambling an one of a kind information set (for instance Social Security Number) so programmers will think that it hard to translate, consequently less dangers of altering or taking data. We can likewise live the database servers in an (every minute of every day) secured zone with imposing security and vigorous firewall insurance particularly if the database binds to the system.
On Passwords and Access Levels
It is automatic for organizations with database systems to assign passwords and segregate levels of authorization per user. Passwords serve as a “key� of the user to access certain
areas of the database server/software. The areas and the functions they can do within the system will depend on their assigned access level. However, when the user gets out of the organization, chances are they can still access the database since they might not surrender the password or authorization. To address this situation, database managers must review the policies in giving user access within the organization. They can either require the users to change passwords every 3 months or review their access levels every 6 months. That way database managers can monitor the users thus lessen the risk of data breach.
Virus, Worms, and Malwares
The threat brought about by malicious executable files (virus, worms, and malwares whatever you call it) has been serious over time. Few years ago, their attack is limited to desktop systems but now it became more sophisticated, extensive, and dangerous. They can now be present in cellphone or mobile devices as well as other processor-based electronics. To protect the database system, there should be no software allowed to install within the system unless the systems manager approves it. If the database is connected to the internet, antivirus is necessary to filter and delete viruses. The problem with this solution is that most antivirus programs make the system run slowly.
Got Data? Back it up!
This process is too critical in order to protect database system. Running data backups can be daily, weekly, or monthly depending on how much big or small the database system is. Data Backups can be stored on a cloud storage or a disk drive. However, both of these storage options have the risk of being compromised. In case of physical disk drives, it can get corrupted while with cloud storage; data could leak or lost risking security even more. As a solution, we have to create multiple backups for physical disk drives and that too at various locations. That way we can still access the data if the first backup has been compromised. In case of cloud storage we should choose the best cloud service provider that has a good support features in case our data has been lost or compromised.
Balancing Act
Beside the tips presented above, there are numerous ways that we can execute to secure our data. Remember that it doesn't stop there, as data security obliges upkeep and additional expenses. It obliges a lot of time and assets just to verify that your data is secure and beyond their reach!