Complete Database Administrator 90-Day Learning Roadmap

Week 5: Performance Tuning & Query Optimization (Days 31-37)

Day 61: Database Security Fundamentals & Threat Landscape

•       Understanding database security threats: SQL injection, privilege escalation, data breaches[1]
•       The CIA triad: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability in database context[1]
•       Real-world security breach case studies and lessons learned[1]
•       Regulatory compliance requirements: GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, PCI-DSS[1]
•       Creating a database security mindset and best practices[1]

Industry reality: 60% of data breaches involve database vulnerabilities. Companies pay millions in fines for non-compliance.[1]

Security audit exercise: Evaluate your existing projects for common security vulnerabilities and document findings.[1]

Day 62: Advanced Authentication & Access Control

•       Multi-factor authentication (MFA) for database access[1]
•       Implementing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) at scale[1]
•       Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) for complex permissions[1]
•       Active Directory integration with databases[1]
•       Implementing least privilege principle across large organizations[1]
•       Auditing user access and detecting unauthorized activity[1]

Enterprise scenario: Configure centralized authentication for your Hospital Management System connecting with Active Directory/LDAP.[1]

Hands-on lab: Create a comprehensive access control matrix for a banking database with 10 different user roles and specific permissions.[1]

Day 63: Encryption & Data Protection

•       Encryption at rest: Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) implementation[1]
•       Encryption in transit: SSL/TLS configuration for database connections[1]
•       Column-level encryption for sensitive data (SSN, credit cards, passwords)[1]
•       Key management strategies and Hardware Security Modules (HSM)[1]
•       Backup encryption and secure storage[1]
•       Performance impact of encryption and optimization techniques[1]

Practical implementation: Encrypt your Banking System database using TDE, configure SSL connections, and implement column-level encryption for sensitive customer data.[1]

Compliance check: Verify your encrypted database meets PCI-DSS requirements for payment card data protection.[1]

Day 64: SQL Injection Prevention & Secure Coding

•       Understanding SQL injection attacks with real examples[1]
•       Parameterized queries and prepared statements[1]
•       Input validation and sanitization techniques[1]
•       Stored procedure security best practices[1]
•       Application-level security vs database-level security[1]
•       Penetration testing your database applications[1]

Security challenge: Review code samples with SQL injection vulnerabilities and rewrite them securely using parameterized queries.[1]

Testing exercise: Use SQLMap or similar tools (in ethical testing environment) to test your applications for SQL injection vulnerabilities.[1]

Day 65: Auditing, Monitoring & Compliance Logging

•       Implementing comprehensive database audit trails[1]
•       MySQL Enterprise Audit, Oracle Audit Vault, SQL Server Audit features[1]
•       Tracking data access, modifications, and administrative actions[1]
•       Log management and analysis tools[1]
•       SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) integration[1]
•       Compliance reporting and evidence collection[1]
•       Retention policies and secure log storage[1]

Audit implementation: Configure comprehensive auditing for your e-commerce database tracking all data modifications, failed login attempts, and privilege escalations.[1]

Compliance report: Generate audit reports demonstrating GDPR right-to-access compliance.[1]

Day 66: Database Hardening & Security Configuration

•       Operating system hardening for database servers[1]
•       Network segmentation and firewall rules for database tiers[1]
•       Disabling unnecessary features and services[1]
•       Changing default ports, usernames, and configurations[1]
•       Patch management and vulnerability scanning[1]
•       Security benchmarks: CIS benchmarks for databases[1]
•       Penetration testing and security assessments[1]

Hardening project: Apply CIS benchmarks to secure MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server installations on your system.[1]

Vulnerability scan: Use OpenVAS or similar tools to scan your database servers and remediate identified vulnerabilities.[1]

Day 67: Week 9 Security Project – Secure Enterprise Database

Comprehensive Security Implementation Project:

Build a security-hardened version of your E-Learning Platform Database with:[1]

•       Multi-tier architecture with DMZ, application, and database layers[1]
•       Centralized authentication with Active Directory integration[1]
•       TDE encryption for entire database[1]
•       Column-level encryption for PII (Personally Identifiable Information)[1]
•       SSL/TLS encrypted connections only[1]
•       Comprehensive RBAC with 8 different roles (Student, Instructor, Admin, Finance, Support, Auditor, Developer-ReadOnly, DBA)[1]
•       Complete audit logging of all data modifications[1]
•       Automated security monitoring with alerts for suspicious activities[1]
•       SQL injection prevention in all stored procedures and application queries[1]
•       Compliance documentation meeting GDPR requirements[1]
•       Incident response procedures documented[1]
•       Regular security assessment schedule[1]

Deliverables:

•       Security architecture diagram[1]
•       Configuration documentation for all security features[1]
•       User access matrix[1]
•       Audit policy documentation[1]
•       Penetration testing report with remediation[1]
•       Compliance checklist (GDPR/HIPAA)[1]

Professional milestone: Security-hardened databases are critical for enterprise environments. This project demonstrates your ability to implement defense-in-depth strategies.[1]