2 Securing the Database Installation and Configuration

2.1 About Securing the Database Installation and Configuration

After you install Oracle Database, you should secure the database installation and configuration. The methods in this chapter describe commonly used ways to do this, all of which involve restricting permissions to specific areas of the database files.

Oracle Database is available on several operating systems. Consult the following guides for detailed platform-specific information about Oracle Database:

• Oracle Database Platform Guide for Microsoft Windows

• Oracle Database Administrator's Reference for Linux and UNIX

• Oracle Database Installation Guide for your platform

2.2 Enabling the Default Security Settings

When you create a new database or modify an existing database, you can use the Security Settings window in Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) to enable or disable the default security settings. Oracle recommends that you enable these settings. These settings enable the following default security settings:

• Enables default auditing settings. See "Using Default Auditing for Security-Relevant SQL Statements and Privileges" for detailed information.

• Creates stronger enforcements for new or changed passwords. "Requirements for Creating Passwords" describes the new password requirements.

• Removes the CREATE EXTERNAL JOB privilege from PUBLIC. For greater security, grant the CREATE EXTERNAL JOB privilege only to SYS, database administrators, and those users who need it.

• Modifies initialization parameter settings. Table 2-1 lists the modified initialization parameter settings.

  Table 2-1 Default Security Settings for Initialization Parameters

  Setting	Previous Setting	New Setting
  AUDIT_TRAIL	NONE	DB
  07_DICTIONARY_ACCESSIBILITY	TRUE	FALSE
  PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME	UNLIMITED	7
  PASSWORD_LOCK_TIME	UNLIMITED	1
  PASSWORD_LOGIN_FAILURES	10	10
  PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME	UNLIMITED	180
  PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX	UNLIMITED	UNLIMITED
  PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME	UNLIMITED	UNLIMITED
  REMOTE_OS_ROLES	TRUE	FALSE

  
  

To enable the default profile security settings using Database Configuration Assistant:

1. Start Database Configuration Assistant:

   • UNIX: Enter the following command at a terminal window:

     dbca
     

     Typically, dbca is in the $ORACLE_HOME/bin directory.

   • Windows: From the Start menu, click All Programs. Then click Oracle - ORACLE_HOME, then Configuration and Migration Tools, and then Database Configuration Assistant.

     Alternatively, you can start Database Configuration assistant at a command prompt:

     dbca
     

     As with UNIX, typically, dbca is in the ORACLE_BASE\ORACLE_HOME\bin directory.

2. In the Welcome window, click Next.

   The Operations window appears.

3. Select Configure Database Options, and then click Next.

   The Database window appears.

4. Select the database that you want to configure, and then click Next.

   The Security Settings window appears.

5. Select the Keep the enhanced 11g default security settings (recommended). These settings include enabling auditing and a new default password profile option.

6. Click Next.

   The Database Components window appears.

7. Select any additional options, and then click Next. Answer the remaining questions as necessary.

8. Click Finish.

2.3 Securing the Oracle Data Dictionary

This section describes how you can secure the data dictionary. The data dictionary is a set of database tables that provide information about the database, such as schema definitions, default values, and so on.

This section describes the following topics:

• About the Oracle Data Dictionary

• Enabling Data Dictionary Protection

sqlplus system
Enter password: password
Connected. 
SQL> SELECT * FROM DICTIONARY;

2.4 Restricting Operating System Access

You can secure access to Oracle Database on the operating system level by following these guidelines:

• Limit the number of operating system users.

• Limit the privileges of the operating system accounts (administrative, root-privileged, or DBA) on the Oracle Database host (physical computer). Only grant the user the least number of privileges needed to perform his or her tasks.

• Restrict the ability to modify the default file and directory permissions for the Oracle Database home (installation) directory or its contents. Even privileged operating system users and the Oracle owner should not modify these permissions, unless instructed otherwise by Oracle.

• Restrict symbolic links. Ensure that when you provide a path or file to the database, neither the file nor any part of the path is modifiable by an untrusted user. The file and all components of the path should be owned by the database administrator or some trusted account, such as root.

  This recommendation applies to all types of files: data files, log files, trace files, external tables, BFILEs, and so on.

2.5 Restricting Permissions on Run-Time Facilities

Many Oracle Database products use run-time facilities such as Oracle Java Virtual Machine (OJVM). Do not assign all permissions to a database run-time facility. Instead, grant specific permissions to the explicit document root file paths for facilities that might run files and packages outside the database.

Here is an example of a vulnerable run-time call, in which individual files are specified:

call dbms_java.grant_permission('wsmith', 'SYS:java.io.FilePermission','filename','read');

Here is an example of a better (more secure) run-time call, which specifies a directory path instead:

call dbms_java.grant_permission('wsmith', 'SYS:java.io.FilePermission','directory_path','read');

2.6 Initialization Parameters Used for Installation and Configuration Security

Table 2-2 lists initialization parameters that you can set to better secure your Oracle Database installation and configuration.