Database Configuration Locking Mechanism for Security Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ensuring secure database configurations from undesired modifications is challenging, especially in large organizations with multiple database administrators, where incorrect changes can lead to security breaches and unintended access to sensitive data.
Innovation Solution
A configuration-locking mechanism that allows a security officer to lock database objects, preventing modifications while allowing access, and an authentication system using encrypted hash values to authorize procedures, ensuring only authorized procedures execute.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If database administrators are granted privileged access to modify configuration, then ease of operation is improved, but security and stability deteriorate due to potential malicious or unintended alterations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having the security officer review and approve configuration changes before they are applied. The change management procedure requires pre-approval from a security officer with appropriate privileges, ensuring that changes are validated before execution. This preliminary review process prevents malicious or unintended alterations while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - a configuration lock and change management procedure - that mediates between database administrators who need to modify configurations and the security requirements. The security officer acts as an intermediary who reviews and approves changes, while the configuration lock serves as a technical intermediary that enforces approval requirements. This intermediary layer prevents direct unauthorized modifications while maintaining ease of operation for approved changes.
2Reliability
If configuration changes are restricted to maintain security, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to reduced ability to apply necessary updates
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables necessary updates by performing preliminary actions - the security officer reviews and approves changes in advance through the change management procedure. This preliminary approval process ensures that legitimate updates are authorized before execution, maintaining both security and operational efficiency. The lock is not permanent but controlled through the approval workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration lock mechanism is dynamic rather than static. The lock can be applied and released based on the approval workflow. When a change is approved by the security officer, the lock is temporarily released to allow the change to be applied. This dynamic behavior maintains reliability by default (lock applied) while allowing necessary changes when approved (lock released), thus not permanently restricting operational flexibility.
3Productivity
If multiple database administrators are allowed to work independently, then productivity is improved, but security deteriorates due to difficulty in enforcing uniform security policy
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms through the change management procedure and configuration lock. When a database administrator initiates a configuration change, the system provides feedback by requiring security officer approval before the change can be applied. This feedback loop ensures that all changes are reviewed against uniform security policies, regardless of which administrator initiated them. The centralized approval process provides consistent feedback to all administrators, ensuring uniform policy enforcement across the organization.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that secures a database configuration from undesired modifications. This system allows a security officer to issue a configuration-locking command, which activates a lock for the configuration of a database object. When a configuration lock is activated for a database object, the system prevents a user (e.g., a database administrator) from modifying the configuration of the database object, without restricting the user from accessing the database object itself. The security officer is a trusted user that is responsible for maintaining the stability of the database configuration, such that a configuration lock activated by the security officer preserves the database configuration by overriding the privileges assigned to a database administrator.