Re: is it possible to edit archivelog files?

One could just edit the database files themselves. I have a tool that allows you to do that. The exception , so I've been told , is that Trusted Oracle has the data encrypted on the disk and so you would have a heck of a time figuring out how to edit it. But frankly if people have access to these files you have a larger problem. (They could just destroy the files or issue conventional sql and add those transactions, why try and edit and possibly damage the database.) I am not sure a checksum would work, the files are constantly changing and if you have a crash and have to bring it up on the other machine then the files would be different.

I think you need to consider physical security to the machines and the access to the files themselves; that would seem to be the proper place to worry about spoofing or fraud in this example.

Jim

"Wijbrand Pauw" <w.pauw_at_xs4all.nl> wrote in message news:Xns92AD6DC30E3ECwpauwxs4allnl_at_194.109.6.74...
> 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
Received on Sun Oct 20 2002 - 03:58:17 CDT