3 Database Security Features

The following principles are fundamental to using any application securely.

3.1 About Database Vault

Oracle Database Vault restricts access to specific areas in an Oracle database from any user, including users who have administrative access. For example, you can restrict administrative access to employee salaries, customer medical records, or other sensitive information. This enables you to apply fine-grained access control to your sensitive data in a variety of ways. It hardens your Oracle Database instance and enforces industry standard best practices in terms of separating duties from traditionally powerful users. Most importantly, it protects your data from super-privileged users but still lets them maintain your Oracle databases.

Oracle Database Vault is an integral component of your enterprise. With Oracle Database Vault, you address the most difficult security problems remaining today: protecting against insider threats, meeting regulatory compliance requirements, and enforcing separation of duty. You configure Oracle Database Vault to manage the security of an individual Oracle Database instance. You can install Oracle Database Vault on standalone Oracle Database installations, in multiple Oracle homes, and in Oracle Real Application Clusters (Oracle RAC) environments.

For frequently asked questions about Oracle Database Vault, visit http://www.oracle.com/technology/deploy/security/database-security/database-vault/dbv_faq.html.

For Oracle Technology Network (OTN) information specific to Oracle Database Vault, visit http://www.oracle.com/technology/deploy/security/database-security/database-vault/index.html.

Note:

Database Vault is a separately licensed feature of the database.

3.2 About Audit Vault

Oracle Audit Vault automates the audit collection, monitoring, and reporting process. It turns audit data into a key security resource for detecting unauthorized activity. Consider using this feature to satisfy compliance regulations such as SOX, PCI, and HIPAA, and to mitigate security risks. Audit Vault is a separately licensed component.

To know more about Oracle Audit Vault, visit http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/database-technologies/audit-vault-and-database-firewall/index.html

3.3 About Tablespace Encryption

Transparent Data Encryption is one of the three components of the Oracle Advanced Security option for Oracle Database 11g Release 2 Enterprise Edition. It provides transparent encryption of stored data to support your compliance efforts. Applications do not have to be modified and continues to work seamlessly as before. Data is automatically encrypted when it is written to disk, and automatically decrypted when accessed by the application. Key management is built in to the Tablespace Encryption feature, eliminating the complex task of creating, managing, and securing encryption keys. The Advanced Security Option is a separately licensed component.

To know more about Oracle advance security options, visit http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/database/options/advanced-security/index.html

3.4 Secure SQL*NET

SQL*NET enables both client-server and server-server communications across any network. With SQL*Net, databases and their applications can reside on different computers and communicate as peer applications.

Advanced Security Option or Advanced Network Option can be used for encryption of SQL*Net traffic between the database and application servers. This certification and encrypting of SQL*Net traffic is only relevant for highly secure implementations that require encryption of all network traffic. The application servers and database must be solely contained in a secure data center. Performance must be tested before implementing encryption in a production environment. Organizations with stringent security requirements would benefit from a limited deployment of encryption of all direct SQL*Net traffic from outside the data center. The Advanced Security Option (ASO) is an optional component of the Oracle Database and is an extra cost.

To know more about SQL*NET, visit

http://docs.oracle.com/cd/A57673_01/DOC/net/doc/NWUS233/ch1.htm