Netfort Technologies 2.0

LANGuardian 8 includes a new Microsoft SQL Server Decoder that monitors and reports on database activity. The SQL Server Decoder module addresses some of the security vulnerabilities that occur when SQL Server database queries return results to unauthorized clients or generate surges in traffic that adversely affect database performance.

The LANGuardian SQL Server Decoder module is a totally passive solution that has no impact on database performace.  Enabling logging on your SQL Server databases is another way to monitor database activity, but the effect on performance can be severe. 

Features

SQL Server event auditing
With this feature enabled, LANGuardian can record all SQL Server events that occur on the network, such as logins and UPDATE statements. You can configure auditing to ignore events originating from specific clients or destined for a specific server.

SQL language awareness
The SQL Server Decoder module understands the syntax of SQL statements and can therefore differentiate and report on individual SQL operations such as SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE.

SQL Server event reporting
As with all other network activity monitored by LANGuardian and stored in its database, activity on SQL Server databases is available through the user interface. Users can view reports sorted and grouped by Active Directory user, SQL Server user name, database name, server IP address, client IP address, and SQL statement.

SQL Server event alerting
You can configure the LANGuardian SQL Server Decoder module to send an immediate e-mail alert or SNMP trap when a client accesses a specified SQL Server instance.

Benefits

No impact on database performance
The LANGuardian SQL Server Decoder module is a passive solution that has no impact on the performance of the databases whose activity it monitors.

Enhanced data privacy
The SQL Server Decoder module helps you ensure the privacy and security of your data. If you have a database containing confidential data, you can configure LANGuardian to generate an alert whenever an unauthorised user accesses it.

Data governance
LANGuardian helps you ensure that databases are queried and updated only through the appropriate applications. You can configure it to generate an alert whenever an attempt is made to access a database directly or to circumvent SQL Server client application controls.

Integrated database auditing
The LANGuardian SQL Server Decoder module gives you a detailed inventory of your SQL server environment. You can use it to discover how many databases are in operation on the network and identify any undocumented databases. The data gathered by LANGuardian is tamper-proof and cannot be modified by database administrators or other privileged database users.

Centralised logging
Each instance of SQL Server maintains its own log files, which makes it difficult to monitor database activity and identify trends that apply to your overall database environment. Because the LANGuardian SQL Server Decoder module records all database activity on the network, you can use it as a centralised log of activity across all SQL Server instances on your network.

Compliance
LANGuardian SQL Server Decoder module offers unique levels of database visibility that can help you meet your PCI, Sarbanes-Oxley, and GCSx compliance obligations. For example, it can provide you with answers to questions such as "who has access to the database with the customer credit card numbers?".

SQL Server Events by User

Try it out!
If you would like to try out the SQL Server Decoder module, please contact support@netforttechnologies.com.