Automated Database Security Auditing via Stored Program Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual database auditing is prone to errors and vulnerabilities, such as accidental data disclosure, privilege abuse, and malicious attacks, due to the complexity of monitoring and recording database actions, which can lead to security breaches like SQL injection and data exfiltration.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a server connecting to a database, retrieving security information, scanning for vulnerabilities using stored subprograms, and storing this information in a repository database, facilitated by a web application and database security engine that tracks and identifies security vulnerabilities like privilege escalation, SQL injection, and TNS poison data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual database auditing is performed, then security monitoring can be implemented, but errors and vulnerabilities occur due to human mistakes and misuse
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-auditing of databases through stored program units that automatically scan for security vulnerabilities, retrieve security information, and generate reports without requiring manual human intervention, thereby eliminating human errors while maintaining continuous security monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
Manual auditing processes are replaced with automated computer-based scanning programs and stored program units that execute security checks, retrieve vulnerability information, and generate audit reports, substituting human mechanical operations with automated computational processes
2Reliability
If comprehensive database security auditing is implemented, then security vulnerabilities can be identified, but the complexity of the auditing system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auditing system is segmented into distinct stored program units, each responsible for specific security checks (e.g., SQL injection detection, privilege escalation identification, TNS poison data scanning). This modular architecture allows comprehensive security auditing while managing complexity through organized, reusable components
Solution Approach 2:
Stored program units are designed as universal, reusable components that can be executed across multiple databases and auditing scenarios. These subprograms perform multiple security functions (scanning, information retrieval, vulnerability identification) through a unified framework, reducing overall system complexity
3Measurement precision
If automated scanning programs are used to identify security vulnerabilities, then auditing accuracy improves, but the time required for comprehensive scanning increases
Solution Approach 1:
Security vulnerability patterns, attack signatures, and detection rules are pre-configured and stored in the stored program units before execution. This preliminary preparation allows the scanning program to quickly compare database configurations against known vulnerability patterns, achieving high accuracy without extensive scanning time
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses stored program units that contain copied and cached security information, vulnerability patterns, and detection logic. These pre-computed references enable rapid comparison and identification of security issues without requiring time-consuming analysis of every database element from scratch
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and processes to audit databases for security vulnerabilities. A server connects to a database and retrieves security information indicating security vulnerabilities associated with the database. A scanning program scans the database to identify the security vulnerabilities by executing subprograms stored in the database. The server accesses the security information using stored program units stored in the database, and stores the security information that identifies the security vulnerabilities in a repository database.