Like with many pieces of technology, databases are not completely free of security risks. There are several common database vulnerabilities that all servers have to deal with. As time has gone by, these security risks have been joined by other entities that threaten the integrity of sensitive data.
This article will delve into database security threats that you should watch for. With a solid understanding of the database threat landscape, you and your team will be able to safeguard your systems and tools for a more secure database and business.
5 Database security threats for businesses:
1. Malware
A common data security threat, malware is a broad term that covers malicious programs designed to exploit weaknesses in operating systems and applications. In this case, malware can cause damage to infected databases. Malware can gain access to a company’s database through endpoint devices—technologies such as laptops and tablets that connect directly to the business’s network and its database.
To combat these types of database security threats, you should deploy malware protection solutions. These tools pinpoint, isolate, and remove identified malware. By implementing these security solutions into your database servers (and across your organization’s IT environment), you can reduce the risk of data loss.
2. Internal threats
Insider threats refer to the intentional and unintentional security risks that originate from within a business. Regardless, both pose a significant security risk as they leverage privileges that allow them to bypass security measures and access the database.
For example, an employee who willingly steals information from a database would be considered an intentional threat. An unintentional threat would be negligence. At the same time, human error can also undermine database security controls. It constitutes poor cybersecurity practices, such as reusing or utilizing weak passwords.
Training employees on how to uphold company-specific database security practices will help mitigate insider threats. This can involve learning about physical security measures for servers, knowing how to identify unusual behaviors, etc.
3. Denial-of-service (DoS)/distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks
In the space of database security threats, denial-of-service attacks flood a victim’s database server with an excessive number of fraudulent requests. By doing this, the server’s performance becomes stunted, resulting in a crash. Distributed denial-of-service attacks command compromised computers (botnets) to bombard the server with an overwhelming amount of traffic, leading to operational inefficiencies.
Due to their complex nature, the easiest way to defend your database against DoS and DDoS attacks is by acquiring the services of a cybersecurity provider that has experience working with databases. These companies leverage their expertise in database security to protect servers from data breaches using various solutions, such as intrusion detection solutions.
4. Injection attacks (SQL and NoSQL)
SQL injections consist of queries that are inserted into SQL forms which are then unwittingly authorized by the database, allowing for seamless access. Relational database management systems (or RDBMS for short) are particularly susceptible to SQL injections.
It should be pointed out that NoSQL databases are slightly different. They are invulnerable to SQL injections, but they can be targeted by NoSQL injections. Even though NoSQL injections are not as common as their SQL counterparts, they are still just as dangerous. If left unchecked, both SQL and NoSQL security breaches can bring threat actors directly into the center of a database.
When developing a secure database, you should follow security best practices and conduct vulnerability assessments. That way, you will build anti-injection measures into the framework of your database, boosting its security.
5. Unguarded database backups
Backing up organizational data is a common cybersecurity and disaster recovery practice. Duplicating your database can ensure your company’s information is kept safe in a secure space, making it accessible at all times. With that being said, the problem lies in database backups that are not safeguarded with database security solutions. This makes them more susceptible to attacks—an easy way to undermine a business’s reputation and endanger the information of customers and employees.
To maintain secure database backups, it is important to deploy encryption tools that prevent backups from being read by unauthorized personnel. At the same time, companies should keep track of who is accessing the backups and any other data. Auditing your database’s inbound traffic will give you a better idea of the activity surrounding your backups, helping you to identify and mitigate database security threats.
Do you want a secure database? Get help from leading data security professionals
Since they hold the information that powers a business’s processes, databases are constantly under attack from threat actors. To ensure that your company utilizes a secure database, you need to have an interconnected web of database security measures that cover all areas of the server.
The database security services at Everconnect leverage industry-leading solutions to protect the integrity of data. Everconnect’s team can assess your database’s security measures, upgrade them, and maintain them for ongoing protection. Talk to the team today to secure your database and improve your business’s operations.
