100 Ways to Secure your Oracle Database - Part 1 of 4

Securing an Oracle Database involves a combination of best practices, configuration settings, and the use of Oracle features. Here are 25 different ways to enhance the security of your Oracle Database, explained with examples and commands:

1. Use Strong Password Policies

- Ensure all user accounts have strong passwords.

- Example:

sql

ALTER PROFILE DEFAULT LIMIT PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME 60 PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME 365 PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX 5 PASSWORD_VERIFY_FUNCTION ora12c_verify_function;

2. Enable Auditing

- Monitor and log database activities.

- Example:

sql

AUDIT SELECT TABLE, INSERT TABLE, UPDATE TABLE, DELETE TABLE BY ACCESS;

3. Use Oracle Database Vault

- Restrict access based on policies.

- Example:

sql

BEGIN

DBMS_MACADM.CREATE_REALM('Finance Realm', 'Realm for Finance Schema');

DBMS_MACADM.ADD_AUTH_TO_REALM('Finance Realm', 'FINANCE_SCHEMA', 'FIN_DBA');

END;

4. Implement Network Encryption (SQL*Net)

- Encrypt data in transit.

- Example:

plaintext

sqlnet.ora:

SQLNET.ENCRYPTION_SERVER = REQUIRED

SQLNET.ENCRYPTION_CLIENT = REQUIRED

5. Use Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)

- Encrypt data at rest.

- Example:

sql

ADMINISTER KEY MANAGEMENT SET KEYSTORE OPEN IDENTIFIED BY "keystore_password";

ADMINISTER KEY MANAGEMENT SET KEY IDENTIFIED BY "TDE_master_key";

ALTER TABLESPACE users ENCRYPTION ONLINE USING 'AES256' ENCRYPT;

6. Configure Fine-Grained Access Control (FGAC)

- Restrict access at the row level.

- Example:

sql

BEGIN

DBMS_RLS.ADD_POLICY(

object_schema => 'HR',

object_name => 'EMPLOYEES',

policy_name => 'emp_policy',

function_schema => 'HR',

policy_function => 'emp_security_policy'

);

END;

7. Apply Security Patches Regularly

- Keep your database updated with the latest security patches.

- Example: Follow Oracle's Critical Patch Update (CPU) schedule.

8. Use Oracle Data Redaction

- Mask sensitive data in real-time.

- Example:

sql

BEGIN

DBMS_REDACT.ADD_POLICY(

object_schema => 'HR',

object_name => 'EMPLOYEES',

policy_name => 'redact_policy',

expression => '1=1',

column_name => 'SSN',

function_type => DBMS_REDACT.REGEXP,

function_parameters => '(\d{3})-\d{2}-(\d{4})',

action => 'xxxx-xx-\2'

);

END;

9. Implement Least Privilege Principle

- Grant only the necessary privileges to users.

- Example:

sql

GRANT SELECT ON hr.employees TO analyst_role;

10. Use Virtual Private Database (VPD)

- Control access to specific rows in a table.

- Example:

sql

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION sec_policy (p_user IN VARCHAR2) RETURN VARCHAR2 IS

BEGIN

RETURN 'department_id = 10';

END;

/

BEGIN

DBMS_RLS.ADD_POLICY(

object_schema => 'HR',

object_name => 'EMPLOYEES',

policy_name => 'sec_policy',

function_schema => 'HR',

policy_function => 'sec_policy'

);

END;

11. Enable Database Firewall

- Monitor and block unauthorized database activity.

- Example: Configure Oracle Database Firewall policies to block SQL injection.

12. Use Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

- Create roles and assign privileges.

- Example:

sql

CREATE ROLE hr_read_only;

GRANT SELECT ON hr.employees TO hr_read_only;

13. Secure Database Backups

- Encrypt and protect backup files.

- Example:

sql

RMAN> CONFIGURE ENCRYPTION FOR DATABASE ON;

RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;

14. Configure Advanced Security Options (ASO)

- Use features like encryption and strong authentication.

- Example: Configure Kerberos authentication for database users.

15. Use Database Links Securely

- Avoid hardcoding credentials.

- Example:

sql

CREATE DATABASE LINK remote_db CONNECT TO remote_user IDENTIFIED BY VALUES 'encrypted_password' USING 'remote_tns';

16. Enable Unified Auditing

- Consolidate auditing into a single framework.

- Example:

sql

AUDIT POLICY ORA_SECURECONFIG;

17. Use Oracle Key Vault

- Centralize key management for TDE and other features.

- Example: Configure Oracle Key Vault for managing encryption keys.

18. Configure Oracle Label Security (OLS)

- Classify and manage access to data based on labels.

- Example:

sql

EXEC LBACSYS.CREATE_POLICY('confidential_policy', 'Confidential Policy');

19. Implement Database Resource Manager (DBRM)

- Control resource allocation to prevent denial-of-service attacks.

- Example:

sql

BEGIN

DBMS_RESOURCE_MANAGER.CREATE_SIMPLE_PLAN(SIMPLE_PLAN => 'my_plan', CONSUMER_GROUP1 => 'high', GROUP1_CPU => 80);

END;

20. Secure Data with Oracle Advanced Compression

- Encrypt and compress data to reduce exposure.

- Example:

sql

ALTER TABLE my_table MOVE COMPRESS FOR OLTP;

21. Use Oracle Real Application Security (RAS)

- Define security policies at the application level.

- Example: Implementing RAS for user session management.

22. Secure Application Roles

- Use secure application roles for application-specific security.

- Example:

sql

CREATE ROLE app_role IDENTIFIED USING app_role_pkg.verify;

23. Implement Fine-Grained Auditing (FGA)

- Audit specific columns and conditions.

- Example:

sql

BEGIN

DBMS_FGA.ADD_POLICY(

object_schema => 'HR',

object_name => 'EMPLOYEES',

policy_name => 'fga_policy',

audit_condition => 'SALARY > 10000',

audit_column => 'SALARY'

);

END;

24. Use Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall (AVDF)

- Consolidate and analyze audit data.

- Example: Configure AVDF to collect and analyze database audit logs.

25. Harden Operating System and Network

- Implement OS and network security best practices.

- Example: Use firewalls, disable unnecessary services, and apply OS security patches.

Implementing these security measures can help ensure your Oracle Database is well-protected against various threats.