PostgreSQL Data Security Best Practices: Encryption and Monitoring
Discover how to maximize PostgreSQL's built-in features and enhance database security
- Ensuring Database Security with PostgreSQL east
- Built-in Encryption Options with PostgreSQL east
- Transparent Data Encryption in PostgreSQL east
- Industry-Specific Requirements and Data Compliance Regulations east
- Enhancing PostgreSQL Trust and Security for your Industry east
- Navigating Database Security Regulations with Confidence east
Why PostgreSQL is considered “safe”
PostgreSQL, often referred to as Postgres, offers several features that contribute to its overall security:
- Robust security features: PostgreSQL has robust built-in security features such as SSL support for encrypted connections, authentication methods including password authentication, LDAP, and more. It also supports role-based access control (RBAC) allowing administrators to define fine-grained access permissions.
- Open source: Being open source means that PostgreSQL's source code is publicly available for inspection by anyone. This transparency allows security researchers to identify vulnerabilities and propose fixes promptly. Regular updates are released to address any security issues. Before each release, PostgreSQL undergoes rigorous testing to ensure stability and security. This includes both automated testing and manual testing by the community.
- Data integrity and consistency: PostgreSQL is known for its ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) compliance and has meticulously implemented properties such as multi-version concurrency control, support for a wide range of data constraints and Write-Ahead Logging.
- Security extensions: PostgreSQL built-in features can be easily enhanced with additional security features through third-party extensions or add-ons, allowing users to tailor security measures according to their specific needs.
- Audit trails and monitoring: PostgreSQL supports audit logging, which allows administrators to track and monitor database activities, aiding in detecting any suspicious behavior or security breaches.
- Parameterized queries: PostgreSQL encourages the use of parameterized queries, which helps prevent SQL injection attacks by separating SQL code from user input.
While PostgreSQL offers these features, it’s important to remember that security requires a layered approach. Proper configuration and security best practices are essential to fully secure your database.
PostgreSQL offers comprehensive encryption options at various levels to safeguard data from theft, unauthorized access and interception:
- Password encryption: User passwords are stored as hashes, making it impossible for administrators to connect any specific password to its assigned user. Encryption methods like SCRAM and MD5 ensure passwords are never transmitted in plain text across networks.
- Encryption for specific columns: The pgcrypto module enables selective encryption of sensitive data fields. While decryption occurs server-side, note that a brief moment of vulnerability exists during transmission between client and server.
- Data partition encryption: Encryption can be applied at the file system or block level, preventing unauthorized access to data if drives are stolen. However, mounted file systems remain vulnerable unless encryption keys are securely managed.
- Encrypting data across a network: SSL and GSSAPI encryption options secure data transmission over networks, ensuring passwords and queries are protected. SSL host authentication enhances identity verification, reducing the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks.
- Client-side encryption: In scenarios where server administrators cannot be trusted, clients encrypt data before transmission, eliminating the exposure of unencrypted data on the server. Decryption occurs client-side upon receiving database results.
By leveraging these encryption mechanisms, PostgreSQL provides flexible solutions to address various security concerns, from unauthorized access to data interception.
Learn more about how you can extend the built-in encryption capabilities of PostgreSQL.
Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) is a crucial security feature for protecting data at rest in PostgreSQL databases. TDE encrypts any user data stored in the database system, ensuring that it is secure from unauthorized access, especially in the event of physical theft or unauthorized copying of storage media.
TDE encrypts:
- Data files i.e. files underlying tables, sequences, indexes, including TOAST tables and system catalogs, and including all forks
- The write-ahead log (WAL)
- Various temporary files that are used during query processing and database system operation.
Benefits of TDE:
- Data protection at rest: Prevents unauthorized viewing of data in operating system files on the database server and on backup storage
- Regulatory compliance: Helps meet standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
- Seamless integration: Data encryption and decryption is managed by the database and does not require application changes or updated client drivers.
- Performance-friendly: The performance impact of TDE is low.
Transparent data encryption (TDE) is an optional feature supported by EDB Postgres Advanced Server and EDB Postgres Extended Server from version 15.
Learn best practices to keep your data safe.
Several industries should consider database security as their highest priority, due to the sensitivity and value of the data they handle, including:
| Industry | Requirements and Considerations |
|---|---|
| Banking and finance | Banking and financial institutions deal with highly sensitive data such as customer financial information, account details, and transaction records. Database security is crucial to prevent unauthorized access, fraud, and data breaches. In this industry, ensuring compliance with regulations such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) is essential. |
| Healthcare | The healthcare industry handles sensitive personal health information (PHI), including medical records, diagnoses, and treatment histories. Protecting this data is vital to comply with regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Database security measures must address the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI to prevent unauthorized access, data breaches, and medical identity theft. |
| Government and public sector | Government and civilian agencies collect and store vast amounts of sensitive data, including citizen records, tax information, and national security data. Enhanced database security is critical to safeguard national interests, maintain public trust, and comply with regulations such as the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Protection against cyber threats, espionage, and insider threats is paramount in this sector. In some cases, especially in law enforcement, database security is essential for maintaining evidence integrity and admissibility in court. |
| E-commerce | E-commerce companies handle a wealth of sensitive customer data, including payment information, personal details, and purchase histories. A higher level of data security and encryption is essential to protect against data breaches, financial fraud, and identity theft. Compliance with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is critical for e-commerce businesses operating globally. |
| Technology and software development | Technology companies and software developers store valuable intellectual property, proprietary code, and customer data in their databases. Securing databases from leaks is crucial to protect trade secrets, prevent intellectual property theft, and maintain the trust of customers. Database encryption, secure coding practices, regular security assessments including active monitoring, and vulnerability management such as data partitioning are essential in this industry. |
| Legal services | Law firms are prime targets for hackers and nefarious actors, who are drawn by the wealth of sensitive information they hold. This includes trade secrets, intellectual property, details of mergers and acquisitions, personally identifiable information (PII), and confidential data protected by client-attorney privilege. Depending on where a law firm is based and the clients it serves, there are various data security laws that must be complied with including HIPAA, GDPR, California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and the Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security (SHIELD) Act. |
Cybersecurity measures are no longer a nice-to-have – they are essential. Some industries face higher risks than others and as such, must ensure more robust database security measures that meet compliance requirements.
Learn more about your industry’s specific requirements and considerations.
Securing your database infrastructure from internal and external threats
Keeping your data secure is not a one and done process – active security monitoring is essential for assessing vulnerabilities, detecting threats, and responding proactively.
To comprehensively assess the security posture of your PostgreSQL deployment, you must conduct regular review of the following components:
- Access: Look into how the server is connected to and accessed. The recommendation here is to follow the principle of least privilege when configuring your system.
- Authentication: Ensure that users attempting to access the database are who they claim to be. Select authentication methods based on your specific use case and applications.
- Roles and privileges: Investigate how roles are defined and managed within your database – and how privileges are assigned to these roles. Note that PostgreSQL comes with built-in monitoring roles that grant privileges to roles that are used to monitor the system, without having to give them full superuser access.
- Data access control: Examine data access controls and how you can prevent users from accessing data that they should not be able to access. Make use of built-in SQL commands to easily modify permissions and override default privileges.
- Encryption: Ensure that your data is encrypted both at rest and in transit to protect against unauthorized disclosure. There are a number of methods and PostgreSQL extensions available that can be configured to provide additional security through encryption.
It can be challenging to continuously monitor your security position, especially if your team is focused on building out new features – but not doing so can present detrimental risks to your organization.
Explore options to get the support you need.
Ensuring your PostgreSQL databases are secure and compliant – no matter where you are
In today's globalized world, organizations operate across geographical boundaries. This can introduce complexities when it comes to data security regulations.
Leveraging a distributed PostgreSQL deployment can help you to navigate these complexities, ensuring your databases are secure and compliant with local regulations, regardless of your location.
Key benefits include:
Complying with data sovereignty regulations
Data sovereignty and localization regulations dictate where your data can be stored. Setting up a distributed PostgreSQL configuration allows you to specify data residency locations. This ensures your information remains within the designated geographical boundaries as mandated by local laws, while still maintaining a highly available and scalable database infrastructure.
Ensuring data scalability
Distributed PostgreSQL overcomes workload and storage limitations by allowing you to distribute your database across geographically dispersed servers. However, this can introduce the possibility of data conflicts, so it is essential to set up robust data orchestration and conflict handling mechanisms. This ensures that you always have a clear and accurate picture of your data, regardless of where it's stored.
Shoring up data resiliency
A single centralized database presents a single point of failure – if the server goes down, your entire database becomes inaccessible. Leveraging a distributed PostgreSQL architecture inherently mitigates this risk, minimizing downtime and data loss in case of hardware malfunctions or outages at any one location. This ensures high availability and business continuity, even in the face of security breaches.
Learn more about your industry’s specific requirements and considerations.
Build on the secure foundation offered by PostgreSQL and enhance protection of your data
For organizations demanding an extra layer of protection, EPAS adds extended functionality to PostgreSQL, empowering you to increase safeguards for your sensitive data.
Transparent data encryption
Protects data by encrypting underlying files, hardening your organizations data security without additional storage and minimum performance.
EDB audit logging
Enables database and security administrators, auditors, and operators to track and analyze database activities
SQL/Protect
Protects against SQL injection attacks by examining incoming queries for common SQL injection profiles
SSL certificate generation
Easily generate SSL certificates by invoking relevant functions with the sslutils extension.
EDB*Wrap
Protect proprietary source code and programs such as functions, stored procedures, triggers and packages from unauthorized scrutiny.
Profile management
Database superusers can create named profiles, assign roles and manage permissions.
Data redaction
Limits exposure to sensitive data by dynamically changing the data as it is displayed for certain users.
Virtual private database
Offers fine-grained access control to data, down to specific rows, as defined by the security policy
Watch our on-demand webinar to learn more about EPAS 15 and its latest advanced security features such as Transparent Data Encryption (TDE).
Access additional resources to enhance the security of your PostgreSQL database
PostgreSQL security refers to the protective measures employed to prevent unauthorized access and potential threats to the database. It plays a vital role in safeguarding sensitive data, maintaining data integrity, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
To enhance the security of PostgreSQL, consider implementing the following measures:
- Regularly update PostgreSQL to ensure you have the latest security patches and fixes.
- Enforce strong password policies for database users. Encourage the use of complex passwords and avoid default or easily guessable passwords.
- Implement the principle of least privilege. Grant only necessary permissions to users and limit access to sensitive data and system resources.
- Configure firewalls to restrict access to PostgreSQL ports (typically 5432) to trusted IP addresses and networks.
- Enable encryption for data in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest (storage-level encryption). Use SSL certificates for host authentication and consider encrypting specific columns containing sensitive data.
- Utilize secure authentication methods such as SCRAM or GSSAPI, and avoid using plaintext authentication methods like trust or password.
- Enable auditing and logging features in PostgreSQL to monitor and track user activity, database access, and potential security breaches.
- Implement a robust backup strategy to ensure data integrity and availability in case of security incidents or data loss.
- Review and configure PostgreSQL settings and parameters to adhere to security best practices, such as disabling unnecessary features and hardening the server configuration.
- Keep the underlying operating system and dependencies up to date to mitigate vulnerabilities that could affect PostgreSQL's security.
- Deploy monitoring tools and intrusion detection systems to detect suspicious activities and potential security threats in real-time.
- Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and address potential security weaknesses in your PostgreSQL deployment.
By implementing these security best practices, you can significantly enhance the security posture of your PostgreSQL environment and protect your data from unauthorized access, breaches, and other security threats.
Common vulnerabilities in PostgreSQL security include SQL injection, unauthorized access stemming from weak passwords, unencrypted data transmission and misconfigured permissions that may result in privilege escalation.
Database security is addressed at several levels:
- Database file protection. All files stored within the database are protected from reading by any account other than the Postgres superuser account.
- Connections from a client to the database server are, by default, allowed only via a local Unix socket, not via TCP/IP sockets. The backend must be started with the -i option to allow non-local clients to connect.
- Client connections can be restricted by IP address and/or user name via the pg_hba.conf file in PG_DATA.
- Client connections may be authenticated via other external packages.
- Each user in Postgres is assigned a username and (optionally) a password. By default, users do not have write access to databases they did not create.
- Users may be assigned to groups, and table access may be restricted based on group privileges.
One of PostgreSQL’s known weaknesses is its limited ability to scale horizontally because it is designed to scale vertically.
Secure management of user access and permissions in PostgreSQL involves creating roles with precisely defined privileges, establishing role hierarchies, routinely reviewing and updating permissions and adhering to the principle of least privilege.
PostgreSQL addresses password security and authentication through robust features, including stringent password policies, support for various authentication methods such as LDAP, Kerberos, and certificate-based authentication, as well as encrypted password storage mechanisms.
Speak with an expert to learn how you can enhance your Postgres data security with EDB solutions and services.