Business organizations collect enormous amounts of data in
the course of their day-to-day operations. Storing this data safely and sharing
it with employees in case of need is invariably a challenge for system
engineers entrusted with database security. Even a small error can lead to the
hacking of the system holding the database and the organization may face huge
losses.
Use separate servers
Your organization may have a robust and highly interactive
business website. You may choose the best hosting server for that site. But for
storing the company’s database, you must choose a separate server, possibly
with even stronger security controls than the web server. It’s also advisable
to create a couple of blocks or permissions needed to enter the database and
retrieve information.
Protect servers
Once you have the database tucked away in a separate server,
make sure it is fully protected. You must check the system to ensure that the
firewalls are up and the server has the appropriate anti-malware installed on
it, which is capable of repelling any attempt by hackers to make a break in.
The access to this server should be very limited and even if
the company employees need to access any data, it must be monitored. It also
helps to generate one-time passwords on a temporary basis.
Implement encryption
Although you may take several steps to protect your database
from any kind of threat, hackers will always try to be a couple of steps ahead
of you. You should have to outsmart them by encrypting the data on your
database. This can be an automated exercise, where once the data is entered
into the database server it gets encrypted or left to a system administrator to
handle periodically. The key to decrypt the data can be held in confidence and
this way you can be sure your database remains intact.
Install solid
database management software
Software specifically created for database management come
to the aid at keeping databases secure in organizations. This kind of software
is known as a Database Management System (DMS). It helps to sort and arrange
the data and enables better retrieval methods. Many of the security elements
required to protect the database come with the DMS package.
Back up data on a
regular basis
Creating a backup of your important files, preferably
cloud-based, is another best practice in database security and management.
Whether you keep raw data or the encrypted version on the database server, a
mirror backup to the cloud is an added insurance. Even in the worst-case
scenario of the server getting damaged, you will feel relieved knowing that
copies of all the documents can be retrieved.
Delegate the
responsibility of keeping software updated
The significance of the database server security must be
felt at all levels in the organization. If there is an IT department, there
must be a designated individual or a team to keep a close watch on the
different antivirus and anti-malware programs installed on the database server and
renew them before they expire. More importantly, this person or the team should
ensure the program updates are downloaded and installed.
You may arrange for a mock hack to be attempted on your
database to know it is completely secure and you may feel safe. This can be
done on a scheduled basis and internal resources can be used to carry it out.
It’s also a good idea to turn to third-party security service providers for a
security audit.
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