Featured Article(s)
Dynamic TSQL pivoting procedure
The following TSQL Stored procedure simplified the usage of the PIVOT operator presented in SQL SERVER 2005. it accepts parameters for the pivoted column, the aggregate function, the group column and the group column values range It constructs the PIVOT statement and executes it dynamically using EXEC function
Managing Change with SQL Server
We’ll look into a few different things to know about working with change and your SQL Server. First, we’ll look at how to document your schemas and database options. Next, we’ll look at how you can log changes, by looking into Triggers and some basic security options to have to block unauthorized change in your databases. There are a number of options you have, and we’ll provide the information you need to know when it comes to managing change to your systems.
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> Dec 5 2007 12:00pm Noon Pacific
Look, A Shiny Object, Over There!
I was reading a security list that I subscribe to and they were talking about "good-enough" security. They’re referencing an article from ARS Technica and talking about making your security for your systems (or your home systems or… your data) only good enough to deter a potential hacker into looking elsewhere. Sort of the ADD approach to protection of your systems.
I can relate. For a long time we’ve worked to explain the concept of making things "too expensive" to hack. Not that it costs to hack outright, but if the cost to do the work outweighs the potential benefit (ie profits or income) then the hacker will look elsewhere. If you encrypt the data, it’s less useful. If you make it take a lot longer to access, more work to accomplish the goal, you win as the hacker can find easier pickings "over there" on someone else’s system.
It’s sort of the concept of putting the "this house monitored by Joe’s Alarm Company" sign in your front yard. Hopefully, it makes your home more "expensive" in terms of risk/reward and the crook will go away.
With databases – think about how expensive your systems, and your data resources, are to hack. Partly this comes down to access, partly to usability of the data. Make sure the data is useless if stolen (encryption) and hard to get at in the first place (firewalls, appropriate security). Some food for thought as you think about your systems and what potentially needs to be reviewed.
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