Database Encryption and Security Notes

Overview of Database Security

• Focus on database encryption and secure storage techniques.
• Importance of data security in the digital landscape.
• Real-world examples and their organizational impact.

Threat Landscape

• Rising Data Breaches: Increasing frequency and cost of data breaches highlighted by IBM’s report.
  • Common attack vectors include:
  • SQL injection
  • Phishing
• Compliance Requirements:
  • Essential to comply with regulations like GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, PCI DSS.
  • Non-compliance can result in penalties; e.g., Equifax breach affected 147 million individuals.

Key Concepts in Database Encryption

• Purpose of Database Encryption: Protects sensitive data by rendering it unreadable to unauthorized users.
• Common Algorithms:
  • AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)
  • DES (Data Encryption Standard)
  • RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman)
• Encryption Types:
  • Symmetric Encryption: Same key for encryption and decryption.
  • Asymmetric Encryption: Uses key pairs for encryption and decryption.

Types of Database Encryption

1. Transparent Data Encryption (TDE): Encrypts data at rest.
   • Solutions available from Oracle, SQL Server, DB2.
2. Column-level Encryption: Encrypts specific columns containing sensitive data (e.g., credit card numbers).
3. Application-level Encryption: Encrypts data before entering the database.
4. File System Encryption: Encrypts underlying storage.
   • Each method has trade-offs in performance and security.

Key Management Best Practices

• Secure Key Storage:
  • Use Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) for effective key management.
  • Employ Key Management Interoperability Protocol (KMIP) for standards.
• Access Control:
  • Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to manage key access and ensure security.

Secure Storage Strategies

• Data Masking: Hides sensitive data by replacing it with fake equivalents.
• Data Vaulting: Off-site secure data storage.
• Tokenization: Replaces sensitive data with non-sensitive tokens.
• Access Control Lists (ACLs) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) systems can enhance security measures.

Implementation Guide for Database Encryption

1. Planning: Identify sensitive data and choose appropriate encryption.
2. Configuration: Set up encryption systems and key management protocols.
3. Testing: Regularly validate encryption and system performance through audits and penetration tests.

Performance Considerations

• Database performance may be impacted by encryption (10-20% slow down).
• Optimize performance through query adjustments and hardware acceleration.
• Regular monitoring of system performance post-implementation is critical.

Case Studies and Lessons Learned

• Highlight successful database encryption implementations.
• Breach case studies reveal vulnerabilities linked to poor encryption.
• Illustrate the Return on Investment (ROI) related to security funding.

Importance of Ongoing Vigilance

• Ongoing assessment and enhancement of database security are crucial to combat evolving threats.
• Continuous monitoring and updating of security policies are necessary for effective protection.