SQL Server Security

Abstract

Understanding the SQL Server security model and how to effectively implement and manage a secure SQL environment is important for a DBA. If your employer’s data gets compromised, it’s not just your job that is lost; it could also affect the lives of many people outside your company. You have probably heard stories of hackers obtaining the credit card information of thousands of helpless consumers. All these thefts could have been prevented had proper security measures been in place. SQL Server comes with a well-tested security model that enables DBAs to delegate access control from the server level down to the column level and, with the help of native encryption capabilities, to the individual column entries. In this chapter, you will learn how users are authenticated and authorized within SQL Server, and you’ll learn some best practices to follow with respect to the security of your SQL Server instances.