Technical White Paper Finding Sensitive Data In and Around the Microsoft SQL Server Database Finding Sensitive Data In and Around the Microsoft SQL Server Database Vormetric, Inc. 888.267.3732 408.433.6000
[email protected] www.vormetric.com Technical White Paper Page | 1 Finding Sensitive Data In and Around the Microsoft SQL Server Database Audience This technical document is intended to provide insight into where sensitive data resides in and around a Microsoft® SQL Server® database for the Microsoft® Windows® operating system. The information and concepts in this document apply to all versions of SQL Server (2000, 2005, 2008, 2008 R2, 2012). It also assumes some knowledge of Vormetric’s data encryp- tion and key management technology and its associated vocabulary. Overview At first blush, simply encrypting the database itself would be sufficient to secure data at rest in inside of the Microsoft SQL Server (SQL Server) database software running on Windows server platforms. However, enterprises storing sensitive data in a SQL Server database need to consider the locations around the database where sensitive data relating to SQL Server might reside, even outside the direct control of the Database Administrators (DBAs). For example, it is well within the realm of possibility that a SQL Server database could encounter an error that would cause it to send information containing sensi- tive data into a trace file or the alert log. What follows is a description of the SQL Server database along with a table that includes a list of all types of files and sub- types, along with the function these files provide and why it makes sense to consider protecting these files.