Stronger Database Security Needed, Cyber-Attacks Show

When cyber-attackers breach an organization’s network, the
database is usually their target. However, many organizations are so focused on
protecting the perimeter that they don’t think about protecting the database
itself, according to several security experts.

Many organizations still think that protecting the perimeter
is sufficient to protect the data, but as recent data breaches at Epsilon and Sony have shown, traditional perimeter security can’t be relied on to protect
the data, Josh Shaul, CTO of Application Security, told eWEEK. It’s a "losing
battle" to try to protect every single endpoint within the organization, Shaul
said.

That’s not to suggest that organizations shouldn’t be
investing in firewalls and other security products. Shaul recommended the
layered model, where attackers have to get past multiple gatekeepers before
they even get to the database. Organizations should be thinking, "When the
perimeter fails, what’s next?" and combining all the layers to pinpoint when
something is wrong, according to Shaul.

It’s ironic that "the closer we get to the data, we see
fewer preventive controls and more detection measures," Shaul said. IT
departments are more likely to have deployed products that send out alerts that
a breach has occurred, than ones that actively block the threat from getting in
to the database. Most blocking technologies are still deployed on the
perimeter, according Shaul.

Organizations still assume that all activity hitting the
database is "untrusted," Shaul said. Instead, they should monitor all requests
to figure out whether the activity is normal or malicious.

Continuous, real-time monitoring is crucial to detect
suspicious or unauthorized activity within the database, Phil Neray, vice
president of data security strategy and information management at IBM, told
eWEEK. Database activity monitoring allows security managers to catch anyone
who is trying to get access to information they shouldn’t be able to obtain.

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Cyber-Attacks Highlight Need to Focus on Stronger Database Security.

CIO Insight Staff
CIO Insight Staff
CIO Insight offers thought leadership and best practices in the IT security and management industry while providing expert recommendations on software solutions for IT leaders. It is the trusted resource for security professionals who need network monitoring technology and solutions to maintain regulatory compliance for their teams and organizations.

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