Introduction to Security Features in Adaptive Server

Identification and authentication controls

Ensures that only authorized users can log into the system. In addition to password based login authentication, Adaptive Server supports external authentication using Kerberos, LDAP, or PAM.

Discretionary Access Controls (DAC)

Provides access controls that give object owners the ability to restrict access to objects, usually with the grant and revoke commands. This type of control is dependent upon an object owner’s discretion.

Division of roles

Allows an administrator to grant privileged roles to specified users so only designated users can perform certain tasks. Adaptive Server has predefined roles, called “system roles,” such as System Administrator and System Security Officer. In addition, Adaptive Server allows System Security Officers to define additional roles, called “user-defined roles.”

Accountability

Provides the ability to audit events such as logins, logouts, server start operations, remote procedure calls, accesses to database objects, and all actions performed by a specific user or with a particular role active. Adaptive Server also provides a single option to audit a set of server-wide security-relevant events.

Confidentiality of data

Maintains a confidentiality of data using encrytion for Client-Server communications, available with Kerberos or SSL. Data that is not active is kept confidential with password-protected database backup.