Postgres Audit

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1. Certainly! Conducting a security review of PostgreSQL involves several key areas to ensure your database is configured securely and is protected against unauthorized access and vulnerabilities. Here’s a checklist you can use for your security review:

   PostgreSQL Security Review Checklist

   1. Authentication and Authorization:
   2. Ensure strong password policies (complexity, length, expiry).
   3. Use pg_hba.conf to restrict access based on IP addresses and authentication methods.
   4. Implement role-based access control (RBAC) to limit user privileges appropriately.

   5. Avoid using superuser privileges unless absolutely necessary.

   6. Network Security:

   7. Use SSL/TLS to encrypt data in transit. Verify that SSL is configured and active.
   8. Restrict PostgreSQL service to listen on localhost or specific IP addresses.

   9. Use a firewall to restrict access to the PostgreSQL port (default: 5432).

   10. Database Configuration:

   11. Review and minimize the use of non-default PostgreSQL configurations that may expose vulnerabilities.
   12. Set log_connections and log_disconnections to track connections and disconnections.
   13. Enable logging of all queries (log_statement).

   14. Set log_min_duration_statement to log slow queries for performance and security audits.

   15. Database User Accounts:

   16. Regularly review and remove unused or unnecessary accounts.
   17. Implement strong password policies and enforce them.

   18. Review account privileges and roles regularly to ensure they are appropriate.

   19. Data Encryption:

   20. Use encryption for data at rest, through filesystem encryption or PostgreSQL’s built-in features.

   21. If sensitive data is stored in the database, consider using column-level encryption for that data.

   22. Backup and Recovery:

   23. Implement a secure backup strategy, ensuring backups are encrypted and stored securely.

   24. Regularly test your backup and recovery processes to ensure you can restore data successfully if needed.

   25. Regular Updates and Patching:

   26. Keep PostgreSQL and all associated libraries up to date to protect against known vulnerabilities.

   27. Review released patches and security advisories for the PostgreSQL version in use.

   28. Monitoring and Auditing:

   29. Set up monitoring to track database activity, including unauthorized access attempts.
   30. Periodically Audit database configurations and user policies.

   31. Utilize tools such as pgAudit for enhanced auditing capabilities.

   32. Vulnerability Assessment:

   33. Regularly conduct vulnerability assessments and penetration tests to identify weaknesses or misconfigurations.

   34. Use automated tools to scan the database for known vulnerabilities.

   35. Application Security:

       • Validate and sanitize all input to prevent SQL injection vulnerabilities.
       • Use parameterized queries or prepared statements in your application code.

   36. Documentation and Policies:

       • Maintain clear documentation for your database security policies and procedures.
       • Train personnel on security best practices and protocols related to PostgreSQL.

   Additional Tips:

   • Consider implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security.
   • Use connection pooling (like PgBouncer) to manage database connections efficiently.
   • Review and follow security best practices recommended by the PostgreSQL documentation and community.

   By following this checklist, you can help ensure the security and integrity of your PostgreSQL database. Always stay up to date with security best practices and emerging threats to maintain a robust security posture.

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