DATABASE SECURITY BEST PRACTICES | VIBEEVAL

Database Security is Multi-Layered

Secure databases require multiple layers of protection: authentication, authorization, encryption, input validation, and monitoring. No single control provides complete security. These principles apply regardless of database technology.

Access Control

Principle of Least Privilege

Grant minimum necessary permissions. Application database users should not have DROP, ALTER, or GRANT privileges.

Implementation:

Create separate roles for read-only, read-write, and admin operations

Default Deny

Start with no access and explicitly grant permissions. Use allowlists instead of denylists for security rules.

Implementation:

Deny all operations by default, then add specific rules for allowed operations

Defense in Depth

Layer multiple security controls. Even if one fails, others provide protection.

Implementation:

Combine database-level permissions, row-level security, and application-level authorization

Data Protection

Encryption at Rest

Encrypt sensitive data in the database. Use database-native encryption or application-level encryption for PII.

Implementation:

Enable database encryption, use encrypted columns for sensitive fields

Encryption in Transit

Always use TLS/SSL for database connections. Never transmit credentials or data over unencrypted channels.

Implementation:

Enforce SSL-only connections, reject unencrypted database connection attempts

Secure Credential Storage

Never hardcode database credentials. Use environment variables, secret managers, or credential rotation systems.

Implementation:

Store credentials in AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault, or equivalent

Input Validation

Parameterized Queries

Always use prepared statements or parameterized queries. Never construct SQL from string concatenation.

Implementation:

Use ORM query builders or database driver parameterization, ban raw SQL

Type Validation

Validate data types at application and database layers. Use database constraints and CHECK constraints.

Implementation:

Define NOT NULL, CHECK, and type constraints in schema definitions

Length Limits

Enforce maximum lengths on text fields to prevent overflow attacks and storage abuse.

Implementation:

Set VARCHAR length limits, validate array sizes, limit JSON document depth

Monitoring & Auditing

Audit Logging

Log all authentication attempts, permission changes, and sensitive data access for compliance and incident response.

Implementation:

Enable database audit logs, log failed queries, track administrative actions

Query Monitoring

Monitor for unusual query patterns, slow queries, and failed permission checks that indicate attacks.

Implementation:

Set up alerts for permission errors, unusual query volume, and long-running queries

Regular Security Reviews

Periodically audit database permissions, security rules, and access patterns to identify drift from security baseline.

Implementation:

Schedule quarterly permission audits, review security rule changes, check for stale accounts

Common Database Vulnerabilities

SQL Injection

String concatenation in queries allows attackers to inject malicious SQL and read or modify unauthorized data

Exposed Credentials

Database passwords in code repositories, environment files committed to git, or hardcoded connection strings

Missing Access Controls

No row-level security or authentication checks, allowing users to access or modify any data in the database

Unencrypted Connections

Database connections without TLS/SSL, exposing credentials and data to network interception

Related Resources

Supabase RLS Guide

Complete Row Level Security implementation

Firebase Security Rules

Complete Firestore security rules guide

Data Encryption Guide

Encryption strategies for sensitive data

PostgreSQL Security Guide

Securing PostgreSQL databases

Audit Your Database Security

VibeEval automatically scans your database configurations, security rules, and query patterns to identify vulnerabilities and misconfigurations across all major database platforms.