While today, we take security seriously, unfortunately we don�t take database security as seriously as other security. The database information is the most valuable asset that an organization owns. The database security today should be taken more seriously; and it should not be compromised to save money. 

This article only will address the most important security holes that we as a DBA may encounter in our database setup. This topic is endless and remembers that there is no such a secure environment. What we will try to do is: to make a safer and securer environment for ourselves.

First, you should always try to keep up to date with Oracle Security  vulnerabilities on Oracles Security Alert page on the Oracle web site.

Oracle�s Security  Site:  Oracle Security and Oracle�s Customer information Site: Oracle Metalink to check a security alerts and patches regularly.

A check list to protect your database (Minimum compromising)

The following items may or maybe applicable to your database environment. It is very important at least to pay attention to following basic items.

1-     Make sure to change passwords (not easy to find) of your SYS, and SYSTEM usernames and lock or drop other usernames if you don�t use them. To lock an account (ALTER USER username ACCOUNT LOCK; DROP USER username CASCADE;)

1-     Make sure to change the orcladmin/welcome and sysman/oem_temp passwords if you use OEM and Oracle9ias.

2-     Consider to lock ORACLE account if needed. Be sure to have supper account to access to ORACLE account and then run the ORACLE�s profile.

3-     Make sure to have a secure ORACLE password.  

4-     Use SSH or SUDO to disable remote log-in to the ORACLE account.

5-     On Unix System, change the $ORACLE_HOME/bin files� permissions to 0751 or less if possible.

6-     Make sure to set REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORD_FILE=NONE.

7-     Make sure that the ORACLE account is not a member of root (UNIX) and it is only a member of the dba group.

$ grep �i root /etc/group

$ grep �i dba /etc/group

8-     Make sure that datafiles have only read/write accesses. ($cdmod �R 600 /u02/oradata)

9-     Don�t hard code a user name and password in your sql scripts. If you have to, make sure to use /nolog to instead of entering the username and password.

$sqlplus /nolog @mysqlscripts.sql (still this is not good since your username and password is in sql scripts but it is better than $sqlplus scott/tiger @mysqlscripts that the whole world can find out.

Or for exporting do the following:

$exp UP=scott/tiger

$exp parfile=yourparm.ctl

(If you can restrict the �ps� command at the operating system level.)

10- You can use Oracle Advanced Security  to encrypt data over networks.  Read This Link

11- Make sure to set the following environment variables to TRUE to prevent password to be revealing to others. (ORA_ENCRYTP_LOGIN in client and server, and DBLINK_ENCRYPT_LOGIN  in both servers)

12- Make sure in UNIX add �set noexec_user_stack=1� in the /etc/system file to make the stack non-executable.

13- Don�t give the �ALTER SESSION� system privilege to users that they don�t need it. No way you should give any one the �ALTER SYSTEM � system privilege unless there are DBAs.

14- Use the following UNIX script to check to see if there are any �exp, connect or sqlplus� command with a password in them.

# find /u01 -name �*� �print | while read filename

do

            egrep �i �exp|connect|sqlplus� $filename >> exp.lis 2> /dev/null

done

#

15- Don�t use any external files if you can. Make sure the count is zero. (SELECT count(*) FROM dba_external_tables)

16- Be aware of the following files that contains passwords:

17- Make sure to delete the �MDSYS or FINANCE� username since they are granted ALL PRIVILEDGES.

18- Alter default profile to have password management features.

SQL> ALTER PROFILE default  

 2 LIMIT FAILED_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS  10

 3 PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME  90

 4 PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX  5

 5 PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME  5

/

19- If needed write a password in house verification function. The following is a sample of a function verifies password that checks to ensure old password is not the same of new password and the length of a new password. You can make this very complex due to your company business rules. Check also the %ORACLE_HOME%\rdbm\admin\utlpwdmg.sql file. Then alter your profile. (ALTER PROFILE DEFAULT limit password_verify_function verify_password)

CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION verify_password (

 v_user             IN        VARCHAR2,

 v_new_pw      IN        VARCHAR2,

 v_old_pw        IN        VARCHAR2) RETURN BOOLEAN IS

BEGIN

    IF LENGTH (v_new_pw) < 8 THEN

            RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR(-20100, �Your password is too short.�);

   ELSIF v_new_pw = v_user THEN

            RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR(-20104, �New password same as username.�);

   ELSIF v_new_pw = v_old_pw THEN

            RAISE_APPLICATION_ERROR(-20108, �New password same as old.�);

   ELSE

            RETURN(TRUE);

   END IF;

END;

/

20- Lock or drop all the username account that was not used for more certain time for ex: 90 days.

SQL> AUDIT CREATE SESSION WHENEVER SUCCESSFUL;

SQL> -- after 90 days, do the following.

SQL> SELECT distinct (u.username) FROM dba_users u

            2 WHERE NOT EXISTS (SELECT �T� FROM dba_audit_trail a

            3 WHERE a.username = u.username and a.logoff_time > sysdate � 90)

            /

21- Don�t hardcode any password in your scribe. If you have to, make sure immediately when your job was done.

22- Make sure that an access to the �UTL_FILE ,� �UTL_TCP ,� �UTL_HTTP ,� UTL_SMTP ,� �DBMS_JAVA,� �DBMS_RANDOM ,� �DBMS_SQL,� �DBMS_SYS_SQL� and �DBMS_BACKUP_RESTORE� packages weren�t granted to PUBLIC; revoke them if they are and give access to those only needed. (REVOKE EXECUTE ON utl_file FROM PUBLIC;)

23- Revoke access the �ALL_USERS� table from public. (REVOKE SELECT ON all_users FROM PUBLIC;)

24- If you don�t need c library then remove the EXTPROC (c library) from the listener.ora.

25- Make sure that the SELECT_CATALOG_ROLE, EXECUTE_CATALOG_ROLE AND DELETE_CATALOG_ROLE system privileges or all DBA_ were granted only to DBAs. (dba_role_privs)

26- Avoid creating account externally. Check their privileges with no SYSDBA or SYSOPER roles.

27- Make sure that the �O7_DICTIONARY_ACCESSIBILITY � parameter is set to �FALSE.�

28- Make sure that the �REMOTE_OS_AUTHENT � and �REMOTE_OS_ROLES� are not set to �TRUE.� These parameters are set to �FALSE� by default.

29- Don�t grant the �EXEMPT ACCESS POLICY� system privilege to any users, unless you have to.

30- Make sure that no other objects except sys�s objects are in the system tablespace. If there are, please move them to an alternative location.

SELECT owner, segment_name, segment_type FROM dba_segments

WHERE tablespace_name = �SYSTEM� and owner != �SYS�;

31- Make sure that an ordinary users do not have any system privileges. Also check for the �SELECT ANY TABLE� privilege.

32- Revoke any PUBLIC privileges on DICTIONAY objects.

33- Check on the �RESOURCE� role. It gives unlimited tablespace on all tablespaces.

34- Be sure to revoke the key dangerous privileges from the �RESOURCE� and �CONNECT� roles.

35- Change at least the �IDLE_TIME� parameter of the default and users profile.

36- Prevent any access to dba_users, sys.link$, sys.user$, and sys.user_history$ tables. These tables or views contain users� password.

37- Make sure to audit the auditors by �AUDIT ALL ON sys.aud$ BY ACCESS,� if you are auditing.

38- Regularly check the following Oracle log files.

39- Make sure that the �ADMIN_RESTRICTIONS_listernername � parameter is set to �ON� to prevent the listener from accepting SET commands while is running.

40- Set reasonable file permissions on the listener configuration file. ($ chmod 600 listerner.ora)

41- If you need a very tide security, ensure that the following parameters are set in the �network/admin/protocol.ora� file.

tcp.validnode_checking=YES

tcp.invited_nodes=(xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx,xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) or tcp.excluded_nodes

The invited_nodes parameter will allow connections only from specific nodes and deny any others.

42- If you need to tide your network much more, use Connection Manager (CMAN). You can have your own firewall beside your network firewall and De-Militarised Zone (DMZ). It means 3 firewalls.

43- Ensure that the listener password has been set.

$ lsnrctl

$ LSNRCTL > change_password  (Notice automatic start/stop is a big problem.

44- Disable logging to listener.log or sqlnet.log if that is possible.

LOGGING_listener  = OFF or lsnrctl set log_status off

45- Never have a link to production database from test or development database. Use exp/imp utilities to copy the files.

46- If you have hardcoded procedures, you should wrap your functions, procedures, and packages source programs. (wrap iname=myproc.sql oname=myprocx.sql)