hacker is able to delete audited data from database- then how to protect database

How to audit database and maintain high security alert system using Oracle 11g new feature?

How to audit, while data stolen using DBA password?

How to audit, while hacker is able to delete audited data from database?

How to check audited data, while hacker from remove data from operating system using oracle software owner password?

Find answer from Dbametrix. Dbametrix provides such great tips to use undocumented oracle 11g new feature.

When default auditing of Oracle database is enabled then audited data is stored in AUD$ table in database. Data deletation and updation of AUD$ table as "sysdba" privileges, audited data will be stored in operating system's files which has ownership of Oracle software owner. This audit tracing can be enabling using AUDIT_SYS_OPERATIONS parameter.

But any hacker can be theft data from database while he can crack password of database and also can delete data from AUD$ tables for deleting auditing data also. If hacker can able to crack (or know) password of Oracle software owner, then he can able to remove data of sys audited operation data from operating system.

In Oracle 11g great new security auditing feature is introduced, a new parameter named AUDIT_SYSLOG_LEVEL

Auditing Oracle software owner’s activities. It traces all events and commands of sysdba, sysoper privileges.Generaly SYS.AUD$ table contains auditing activities. But as Oracle software owner (SYSDBA owned) can easily remove auditing data from this SYS.AUD$ table.

Auditing Oracle software owner's activities. It traces all events and commands of sysdba, sysoper privileges and users. Generally SYS.AUD$ table contains auditing activities. But as Oracle software owner (SYSDBA owner) he can able to remove auditing data from this SYS.AUD$ table.

This parameter also prevent from hacker’s activity if it stolen password of oracle software owner. When AUDIT_SYSLOG_LEVEL and AUDIT_SYS_OPERATIONS both are applied in database, then any SQL and PL/SQL run as user SYS would be traced using the syslog and operating system utility. Owner of syslog and operating system tracing is ROOT, and a DBA has not access and privilege of root user account, DBAs will not be able to remove audited data or files of their activity from operating system.  Means if any hacker can able to crack password of Oracle software owner and try to mischief then also he can’t able to remote auditing data of oracle’s super user (sysdba or sysoper) even he has password of Oracle account ownership.

As per Dbametrix reporting AUDIT_SYSLOG_LEVEL enables OS audit logs to be written to the system via the syslog utility, if the AUDIT_TRAIL parameter is set to os. The value of facility can be any of the following: USER, LOCAL0- LOCAL7, SYSLOG, DAEMON, KERN, MAIL, AUTH, LPR,NEWS, UUCP or CRON. The value of level can be any of the following: NOTICE, INFO, DEBUG, WARNING, ERR, CRIT, ALERT, EMERG.

In short Dbametrix says that while AUDIT_SYSLOG_LEVEL parameter is enabled using above parameter then AUDIT_FILE_DEST would be ignored and audited files will be generated using operating system utility (like syslog) in ROOT owner in server.

Off course this parameter is partially documented and not published by Oracle. But indeed it is very best useful audit option for database. It is great new security feature of Oracle 11g. Thanks a lot to Oracle people.

NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
----------------------------------  ----------- -------------------audit_syslog_level                   string      USER

Author:

Gitesh Trivedi

Dbametrix Solutions