The Crucial Leadership Role in Information Security

By | November 24, 2016

Leadership plays a critical role in information security within organizations. This article explores the importance of leadership in promoting security practices and the role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) in advocating for a security-conscious culture. It emphasizes the need for leaders to lead by example, adhere to security policies, and actively engage in staff training and development. The key characteristics and responsibilities of a CISO are discussed, including risk articulation, communication skills, and promoting a security-aware culture. The article concludes by highlighting the shared responsibility for information security across the organization and the significance of integrating security measures at all levels.

Database Threats and Effective Security Measures

By | November 24, 2016

This article explores common threats to database systems and presents security measures to protect against them. It covers various aspects, including excessive privileges, legitimate privilege abuse, platform vulnerabilities, SQL injection, and backup data exposure. By understanding these threats and implementing the recommended security measures, organizations can enhance the protection of their databases and mitigate the risk of unauthorized access, data corruption, and other malicious activities.

Active and Passive Network Monitoring: Tools and Techniques

By | November 23, 2016

Network monitoring is an essential practice for maintaining the security and performance of computer networks. Active and passive monitoring are two common approaches used to observe and analyze network traffic. Active monitoring involves injecting test traffic into the network, while passive monitoring focuses on observing existing network traffic. This article explores the concepts of active and passive network monitoring, discusses popular tools like Wireshark, Active Network Monitor (ANM), DNS tools, and Nmap, and highlights their functionalities in network analysis and troubleshooting. By leveraging these network monitoring tools, organizations can proactively detect issues, identify potential threats, and ensure the smooth operation of their networks.

Database Transactional-Based Fraud: Enhancing Transaction Security and Addressing the Halloween Problem

By | November 23, 2016

Database Transactional Based Fraud and the Halloween Problem are significant concerns in the realm of database security. Malicious transactions pose a risk to data integrity and availability, yet detecting and identifying attackers executing such transactions remains a challenge. This article explores the concept of Database Malicious Transactions Detector (DBMTD), a proposed mechanism consisting of transaction profiling and intrusion detection phases. It discusses the importance of transaction profiling in identifying authorized transactions and describes the auditing mechanism that collects crucial information about executed commands. Additionally, the article delves into the infamous “Halloween Problem” in SQL UPDATE queries, highlighting the need for proper handling of database changes to avoid unintended consequences. By understanding these concepts, organizations can enhance their database security measures and protect against transactional fraud while ensuring accurate and efficient data management.

Schema-Based Access Control for SQL Server Databases

By | November 23, 2016

Schema-Based Access Control for SQL Server Databases explores the importance of implementing effective access controls in database systems. The article highlights the principle of least privilege, emphasizing that all users, including Database Administrators (DBAs), should only have permissions relevant to their job. It introduces a structured schema-based approach to access control using ANSI SQL permissions hierarchy and database roles. This approach simplifies assigning permissions and ensures that users inherit the necessary privileges at the schema level. The article also references the role-based security in SQL Server, allowing permissions to be assigned to roles or groups of users rather than individual users. It provides insights into fixed server and fixed database roles and their predefined permissions. By mapping logins to database user accounts and adding them to appropriate roles, effective access control can be achieved in SQL Server databases.

NoSQL Databases vs Relational Databases: A Comparative Analysis

By | November 23, 2016

This article explores the differences between NoSQL databases and relational databases. It highlights the limitations of the traditional relational database model, such as scalability issues when expanding tables. The article introduces MongoDB as a NoSQL database management system that offers flexible data storage in JSON-like documents. It explains the concept of NoSQL databases and their focus on flexibility, scalability, and high performance. The various data models in NoSQL databases, including the document model, graph model, key-value model, and wide column model, are discussed, emphasizing their suitability for different types of data and applications. The article concludes by mentioning organizations that utilize MongoDB in production, showcasing its real-world implementation.

Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights

By | November 19, 2016

Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights   Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights   Introduction The Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights (CPBR) was proposed as a draft bill by President Obama on 27 February 2015. The CPBR is intended as a law that will govern the collection and dissemination of consumer data. The Obama administration re-introduced the… Read More »

Locard’s Exchange Principle and the Daubert Test

By | November 19, 2016

Locard’s Exchange Principle and the Daubert Test Locard’s Exchange Principle is based on the precept that when people interact within an environment, they always leave traces of their activities. This is the basic principle of forensic science. In the digital and physical world, Locard’s Exchange Principle applies in that if people attempt to steal, remove,… Read More »

Creating an Effective Information Security Policy

By | November 19, 2016

In today’s digital landscape, organizations must prioritize information security. This comprehensive guide explores the key elements and best practices for creating an effective information security policy. Learn how to protect valuable data, mitigate risks, and foster a culture of security awareness.

Online Terms of Service Agreements in Contract Law

By | November 19, 2016

The Importance of Online Terms of Service Agreements in Contract Law Online Terms of Service agreements (TOS) found in contracts must have the following elements to be considered legal and enforceable: Parties to the contract must have the legal ability to enter a contract known as contractual capacity.  A contract can only be used for… Read More »