Database security—System architectures

摘要

Database security is a rapidly growing research area, spawning work in several different subareas proceeding independently in many directions. In surveying the subject this paper draws together some of this diverse work and attempts to indicate relationships among the parts. A theme of the paper is to recommend a system architecture approach to database security. Such a view is more likely to bring modularity, simplicity, isolatability and flexibility to overall system solutions than will ad hoc attempts to tune-up individual parts.Systems requirements are stated and the relation to operating system security is discussed. Security kernels, their history as well as their advantages and problems, are described. Security requirements found in databases, but not in operating systems, are introduced. Some models and experimental systems are reviewed, representing non-architectural and architectural approaches to non-secure and secure database systems. Some conclusions and trends for the furure are discussed.