Oracle and a Secure System - Essay Example

Oracle and a "Secure System" By 1997 e-commerce was an integral part of business strategy for most large corporations. Oracle realised that it was not able to offer solutions in this area and therefore began to invest heavily in preparing a suite of Internet based enterprise application software. It also recognised that the client/server relational database model was showing signs of maturing and could no longer rely on this to achieve the expected year on year growth in revenue that its shareholders demanded. Oracle recognised that the future of software development lay with applications delivery through the Internet. They embarked on a R&D program to develop a suite of Internet based enterprise application software. These applications would work perfectly with Oracle databases. This eradicated the need to hold large numbers of databases on a client/server architecture since the delivery could be achieved through an Internet browser. Having developed the tools, Ellison took another of his great strategic decisions and asked his people to implement the systems at Oracle 4. However, how secure is it' Is it secure enough for Stockport PCT' Oracle focuses on the use of Internet Protocol, and in order to understand this better, these key ideas must be defined. Internet Protocol, written and spoken as IP is a network layer protocol. The network layer permits the hosts to really talk to each other. Such things as transferring data grams, mapping the global (Internet) address (for example, 10.4.5.6) to a physical network address (such as 08:00:58:0a:ca:7f), and routing, which looks for making definite that all of the Internet connectivity facilitated devices can discover the way to one and another. IP has several very significant features that make it a very strong and supple protocol. Hence, its security is of great importance. There are a number of attacks that can attack on the IPs and Oracle. Typically, IPs and Oracledoes not play a vigorous mechanism for verification, which is showing that a packet originated from where it alleges it did (Bellovin, 1989). A packet simply alleges to come from a given address, and there is no way to be certain that the host that has sent the packet is not speaking the false. This may or may not be necessarily a weakness, as such; however it is a key point, because of the facility of host authentication. He has to be offered at a higher layer on the Open System Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model. As can be seen these days, applications that require strict host authentication (for instance, cryptographic applications) perform this at the application layer. This is where one host claims to have the IP address of another. There are several systems that on the basis of IP address define which packets to pass and which packets to stop from passing. Router access control lists is one of the systems. This is a tremendous and helpful technique for an attacker. IP and Oracle Session Hijacking is a kind of attack in which a user is deprived of its session since it has been taken over by the attacker. The attacker is gazing at the email when the user has partially written the email. The attacker then can run any commands that he wants in place of the user rather the attacked user. The attacked user, after being familiar with the dropping off its session, may simply re-login; without observing that the attacker is logged in and running the commands as per his wish. This problem can be considerably overcome by encrypted translation of applications instead of the standard telnet-type applications. Though this will not prevent the attacker from dropping off else's session but by doing so, the attacker can merely see garbage because the session is in the encrypted form. The attacker does not have the cryptographic key requisite to decrypt the data and so he was unable to take someone's session. Threats to Oracle and Its Types Threats may be defined as capabilities, targets, and attack ways of rivals to exploit, or any incident or happening with the latent to cause impairment to, information or an information system by means of unauthorized right of entry, demolition, confession, alteration of data, and/or refutation of service (Bhaska, 2000). The following are the different types of threats. Denial-of-Service (DoS) DoS, i.e. Denial-of-Service attacks are most likely the filthiest attacks because they are very easily launched but can hardly are traced out. Rather, it is sometimes impossible to tackle these attacks. It is not very simple to decline the requests of the attacker, without also declining genuine requests for service. The principle of a DoS attack is straightforward, that is, send greater number of requests to the machine than its capability to deal with them. Such attacks were moderately well known during 1996 and 1997, but now they have become less popular. Vigilance: As a precautionary measure so as to minimize the risk of being tingle by a denial of service attacks these points are of great importance. (1) Do not run your servers that are observable to the world at a level that is excessively near to capacity. (2) Using packet filtration to prevent clearly bogus packets from piercing into the network address space. (3) Keeping the all the scraps that relates to security up-to-date for the operating systems of the host (Morris, 1985). Unauthorized Access The target of such attacks is gaining an access to some resource that ones' system should not make available to the attacker. For example, a web server (a host) let any person to view his requested web pages. But that host does not let every person to have command shell access until and unless the host gets certain about the privilege of the person requesting to have access to it, such as a local administrator. It is needed that the user be familiar with the security tools provided by Windows. Similarly, the user also need to be known about the weak points of each and which protocols are more probable to be discovered working with which operating system. Unauthorized access can be performed in the form of social engineering (Bhaskar, 2000). It is a way of gaining the information requisite because people stop it on their own may be because they were appealed to do so. This abuses reliance but it is the reliance a person have of people more willingly than the reliance among computer. A problem regarding social-engineering attacks is that these attacks can never be stopped by the use of technology because no technology is actually implicated. There are a number of protocols that are exploited in the network. Many of them are insecure for the reason that they are typically working on the basis of trust and they do not care for the information they move forward. Cisco suggests replacing insecure protocols with secure ones to the extent as it can be possible such as replacing Telnet with SSH (Secure Shell). Protocols for Network management should employ the best version existing at that time, with authentication and encryption. Unauthorized access to switches and routers etc. let the hacker with far more chances of misbehavior than access to a single host. Thus, preventing from having right to use the devices on the network is often much powerful than that required to save the average host. Vicious Behavior There are two main categories as far as the 'breaking and entering' misbehavior is considered. The categories are data diddling and data annihilation. Data Diddling The data diddling means 'forcing an entry'. May data diddling be playing with the values in the spreadsheets, or altering the dates and times in someone plans and preparations. Perhaps the diddler is making alteration in the account numbers for automatically depositing certain amount. This happens seldom that a person gets at work some day and he founds that something there is wrong. It is not that much simple to trace out the problem. At this point, the question arises that how an attacker does reach to ones' equipment' May he do so via a link that one might have to the outside world' This link can be connection to the net; or it may be a corporeal way in. Another point of notice is that how one come to know that one of the fill-ins that is being paid for providing assistance in data entry is not a system cracker in real who is actually seeking for passwords, important contact numbers, susceptibilities and anything else that can help him in accessing the equipment' In order to sufficiently concentrate on security, all possible ways of approach towards entry must be find out and then they must be examined. The security of that entry point must be reliable and consistently checked. Also, it should be unswerving with the devised policy on satisfactory risk levels. Data Annihilation A few of those commit attacks are only the twisted jerks that basically want to erase or remove things. In these type of cases, the affect on the computing capability and as a result on business can be such that if a fire or other adversity caused the computing equipment of an organization to be completely damaged. Alternative Approaches and Oracle Network Analyzer Network analyzer can be exploited for troubleshooting the network and it can also be used to protect the network against threats to security. A few traits of a network analyzer can be used for scrutinizing attacks and viruses and provide fast and efficient techniques of separating infected systems. Network Analyzers Working A network analyzer monitors and display whatever the activities are being carried out on the network by decoding various protocols that network devices such as routers and switches use to communicate, and showing the results in human intelligible form. Most effective network analyzers also encompass some statistical coverage functionality. By monitoring the traffic load on the network, realizing bandwidth utilization, and evaluating connection dynamics, enabling the administrators to effortlessly determine what location is creating the trouble and why. Security Tools All practical steps must be in use to consolidate and uphold an apposite intensity of security. By staring at the varieties of threats that are general, we can divine a rather short directory of sophisticated observing that can be of assistance to avoid safety catastrophes, and to assist manage the break in the event that blocking actions were abortive in protecting against a hit. Look Forward To Have Backups This is not merely a high-quality suggestion from a safety measures standpoint. Equipped necessities should speak the backing strategy, and this must be strongly synchronized with a disaster recuperation policy, such that if an aircraft collapses into your building one night, you must be capable to keep on your business from some other site. In the same way, these can be handy in convalescence your information in the occurrence of an electronic failure: a hardware breakdown or a rupturing that transforms or otherwise indulges your records. Don't Keep Records Where It Doesn't Need To Be Even though this should go devoid of pronouncing, this does not come about to lots of people. As a consequence, statistics that does not require to be easily reached from the exterior world occasionally is, and this can without reason raises the severity of a break and enters vividly. Avoid Systems with Single Points of Breakdown Any protection system that can be busted by breaching through any one module is not in actuality awfully strong. In security, an extent of redundancy is better, and can aid you save your firm from harm from a negligible security break becoming a disaster. Stay Up To Date with Germane Operating System Patches Be certain that anybody who is familiar with what you've received is watching the purveyors' security recommendations. Take advantage of old viruses is still one of the most widespread (and most successful!) means of attack on the systems. Look At Relevant Security Consultative Besides examining what the sellers are articulating, carry on a secure observe on groups like CERT and CIAC. Make confident that at least one person (if possible more) is donated to the mentioned mailing catalogs. Someone among Staff Be Familiar with Security Applied It is a good idea that a company must have at least one individual who is thrilling with keeping shoulder to shoulder of sanctuary advancements. This require not be a scientific wizard, but could be somebody who is basically competent to read advisories subjected by a variety of event response panels, and maintain track of different troubles that take place. Such a being would then be a shrewd one to discuss with on security interconnected matters, as he will be the solitary who knows if any web server software edition has some identified troubles, etc. Firewalls In order to make available some degree of segregation between a corporation's in and out subnets, firewalls have been in work. It is merely a group of constituents that communally create a blockade between two arrangements. A firewall permits a system manager carve up serviceable groups, even as still allowing mandatory interchange between the regions. It can also supply an inspection track of allowed and obstructed traffic, which may let staff to mark search attempts or other unofficial motion (Power, 1995). Firewalls, nevertheless, not at all produce complete security. By their temperament, they must permit some traffic through, and that transfer may develop into an assault vector. They can also be avoided. Dial-up line may put forward backdoors, as might WAN routes. A prowler cannot escalate a direct assault on the systems following a firewall. Packets designed for host IP after the firewall is basically transported to the firewall. The impostor must as an alternative rise an attack openly next to the firewall engine. Because the machine can be the intention of break-in attacks, it uses very severe security strategies. But because there is just a solo firewall in opposition to countless machines on the limited network, it is effortless to Secure Network Machines It is crucial to bear in mind that the firewall is only one doorway to entr'e network. Modems, if you let them to respond arriving calls, can offer an effortless line of attack for an invader to sneak around your front entrance (or, firewall). Just as citadels were not constructed with moats only in the frontage, your network wants to be confined at all of its access marks. Locked Modems: Dial-Back Systems If modem right of entry is to be given, this ought to be watched over with awareness. The workstation server, or network mechanism that provides dial-up way in to your system requests to be energetically controlled, and its chronicles need to be inspected for eccentric deeds. Its passwords should be well built -- not uncomplicated that can be deciphered. Accounts that are not actively brought into play should be put out of action. To be brief, it is the simplest method to achieve entry to your system from far-off: lookout it warily. Virtual Private Networks Conventionally, for a firm to provide a source of link between a central office and an outpost one, a costly data line had to be rented in turn to supply undeviating connectivity between the two organizations. Currently, a solution that is habitually cheaper is to supply both offices connectivity to the web and using this means to communicate the two work places. The risk in doing this, obviously, is the lacking of confidentiality on this control, and it is hard to provide the other staff rights to enter the ''internal'' resources without given those resources to each one on the net. VPNs present the facility for multiple offices to be in touch with each other in such a way that it looks like they are straightforwardly attached over a personal leased line. The meeting between them, even if going across the Internet, is secretive, and the bond is well situated, because each can witness each other's inside resources without knowing it all to the intact world. Many firewall purveyors are incorporating the facility to assemble VPNs in their packages. If you wish to tie up numerous offices as one, this might superbly be the finest approach to do it. Operating systems controls are believed to preserve programs that prop up numerous applications from corrupting and maltreatment, but review also found that it was potential in some groups for system engineers to modify system appraisal register data, which meant that those users "could have engaged in wrong and unlawful action and afterward obliterated related sections of the audit record, making their events hard or unattainable to identify. Service stability controls, which supply as a support system to make certain that functions can carry on without pause and that statistics is save from harm during an adversity, were also evaluated unsatisfactory. Faults, auditors found here were that failure revival plans were not for all time tested and serious processes and assets were not always known. Most of the breakdowns mentioned in the details are associated to folks not following industry typical security best doings Works Cited Bhaskar K. (2000) "Computer Security: threats and countermeasures", NCC Blackwell Ltd., 1993 by Jim Yuill, North Carolina State University. Magazine Title: Security Management. Volume: 45. Issue: 12. Publication Date: December 2001. Page Number: 56. Power, R. (1995) "CSI Special Report on Firewalls: How Not to Build a Firewall," Computer Security Journal, Vol. 9, Issue 1, pp. 1 - 10. R.T. Morris, 1985. A Weakness in the 4.2BSD UNIX TCP/IP Software. Computing Science Technical Report No. 117, AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey. S.M. Bellovin. Security Problems in the TCP/IP Protocol Suite. Computer Communication Review, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 32-48, April 1989. Read More