Re: is it possible to edit archivelog files?

"Daniel Morgan" <dmorgan_at_exesolutions.com> wrote in message news:3DB43A03.79AC3EF5_at_exesolutions.com...
> Wijbrand Pauw wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I work at al large bank and we want to get on Unix-Oracle the highest
> > possible classification on availability and integrety.
> >
> > You all know the expressions that one fool can ask more questions than
100
> > wise man can answer, well than our security officer is a fool.....
> >
> > He now wants to know if it is possible to edit/change an archivelogfile
and
> > then apply it to an standby database.
> > We are doing a checksum on the files on the production and standby
machine
> > before applying, for what that's worth.
> > He wants to know because he wants to be very sure that someone can't
fake a
> > disaster on production, going to the standby database, bringing it up
and
> > there are for example new financial transactions (there will be over
> > $50.000.000.000,- transferred every day) which weren't in the orignal
> > production environment (that one is for example completly destroyed).
> >
> > I know that this sounds perhaps a bit silly or overdone but they want to
> > know.
> > So is there a chance that someone can hack the archivelog files and the
file
> > still be accepted by the standby database?
> >
> > Can you think of other potential dangers of changing the standby
database
> > without being noticed (of course the database will remain in standby
mode
> > but it is also used in ready only)?
> >
> > Thanks for your reply!
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Wijbrand
>
> Reading the various answers to your post I am left with the following (A)
anyone
> can do it and (B) hard as heck. So I'm not sure how you will decipher
which
> answer is correct.
>
> My answer is a bit different.
>
> The biggest security leak to any system is a post-it note with a user-id
and
> password on it taped to the bottom of a keyboard or stuck inside of a
drawer.
>
> The security risks of Oracle are lower than with its competitors if one
> institutes good policies and procedures and takes advantage of all of the
> security features Oracle has to offer. One thing you might consider is to
write
> a function that encrypts/decrypts dollar amounts and wrap the code. Then
people
> may be able to hack anything but it will be impossible to know what they
are
> hacking.
>
> But in the end the problem really comes down to controlling physical
access. If
> someone can't get to it ... they can't alter it.
>
> Daniel Morgan

Seems sensible to me.
Just keep your database server in the machine room, and lock it.

Paul Received on Tue Oct 22 2002 - 16:34:31 CDT