Database Security Assessment Services
Expert SQL and NoSQL database security assessments — covering privilege escalation, SQL injection impact analysis, encryption validation, and CIS Database Benchmark alignment across Oracle, MSSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and cloud-managed databases.
SQL · NoSQL · Cloud — Every Database Platform Assessed
Each database family has a unique attack surface. We hold specialist expertise across relational, document, key-value, and cloud-managed database platforms.
Relational Databases (SQL)
SQL databases hold your most structured and sensitive data — customer records, financial data, PII. We assess them at the engine level: privilege models, stored procedures, authentication, and encryption — not just TCP port exposure.
- Privilege escalation from low-privilege DB user to DBA
- SQL injection impact analysis from application layer to DB
- Stored procedure & trigger security review
- Authentication mechanism & password policy assessment
- Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) configuration review
- Database link & linked server trust abuse testing
NoSQL & NewSQL Databases
NoSQL databases are the most frequently exposed databases on the public internet — often deployed without authentication enabled by default. We test authentication, access control, network exposure, and injection vulnerabilities specific to each engine.
- MongoDB authentication bypass & unauthenticated exposure
- Redis/Memcached exposed instance discovery & exploitation
- Elasticsearch unauthorized index access assessment
- Cassandra user/role privilege misconfiguration review
- NoSQL injection & document manipulation testing
- TLS/SSL in-transit encryption validation
Cloud-Managed Databases
Cloud-managed databases introduce a new attack surface: IAM permission paths that bypass traditional DB authentication, publicly accessible endpoints, and misconfigured backup permissions. We test the full cloud-native database attack surface.
- IAM-to-DB privilege path analysis & escalation testing
- Publicly accessible endpoint exposure assessment
- Encryption at rest (AWS KMS / Azure Key Vault) review
- Automated backup security & snapshot permission audit
- VPC/private endpoint isolation verification
- Cloud database audit log configuration review
Why Databases Are the Primary Target of Every Breach
Every significant data breach has one thing in common: the attacker reached the database. Whether via SQL injection through an application, privilege escalation from a compromised service account, or a misconfigured publicly accessible cloud database endpoint — the database is always the end goal.
Despite being the highest-value target, databases are routinely the most under-assessed component in security programmes. Penetration tests stop at the application layer. Firewalls protect the perimeter. But the database itself — its internal permission model, encryption keys, and logging gaps — receives almost no direct scrutiny.
Privilege Escalation
Mapping DB user escalation paths from low-privilege accounts to DBA or sysadmin-level access
SQL Injection Impact
Demonstrating actual data impact of application-layer SQL injection at the database layer
Encryption Validation
Verifying TDE, column-level encryption, and TLS/SSL configurations are correctly implemented
Audit & Logging
Assessing whether database activity logging captures events needed for breach detection
5-Phase Database Security Assessment Methodology
From asset discovery through privilege analysis, configuration review, SQL injection impact demonstration, and compliance-mapped reporting.
Reconnaissance & Asset Discovery
We identify all database instances — on-premises and cloud-managed — including version fingerprinting, port exposure, authentication modes, and accessible network paths. This includes checking for unauthenticated and publicly exposed endpoints frequently missed in routine security reviews.
Authentication & Privilege Analysis
We assess all database users, roles, and permission grants for over-privilege, default credential exposure, authentication bypass paths, and escalation routes from low-privilege accounts (application service accounts) to high-privilege roles (DBA, SA, sysadmin).
Configuration & Hardening Review
We review database configuration against CIS Database Benchmarks — covering network listener exposure, linked server trust, unnecessary features (xp_cmdshell, UTL_FILE), password policies, Transparent Data Encryption, and TLS in-transit enforcement for each targeted platform.
SQL Injection Impact Demonstration
Where SQL injection is in-scope, we demonstrate the full data impact at the database layer — extracting schema, sample data (redacted in reports), and demonstrating out-of-band exfiltration paths to quantify the real-world breach impact beyond just a scanner severity rating.
Reporting & Remediation
You receive a dual-layer report: an Executive Summary with database risk posture, and a Technical Findings document with CVSS scores, CIS Benchmark gaps, engine-specific remediation steps, and a compliance mapping section for GDPR, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA database controls.
Comprehensive Database Security Testing Coverage
From privilege escalation to cloud-native database exposure — every database attack vector, tested at the engine level.
Privilege Escalation Testing
Mapping all escalation paths from application-level DB users to DBA, SA, or sysadmin — including EXECUTE AS abuse, linked server trust chains, role inheritance paths, and service account over-privilege.
SQL Injection Impact Analysis
Demonstrating the actual database-layer impact of SQL injection — schema enumeration, data extraction, and out-of-band exfiltration path demonstration to quantify real breach impact beyond vulnerability detection.
Encryption Validation (TDE / TLS)
Verifying Transparent Data Encryption, column-level encryption, and TLS/SSL in-transit configurations against FIPS 140-2 requirements and CIS Benchmark recommendations for each database engine.
Authentication & Access Control
Testing authentication mechanisms, default credentials, password policies, and role-based access control configurations across all database users, service accounts, and application-level connections.
Audit Logging & Monitoring
Assessing whether database activity monitoring captures authentication failures, privilege use, schema changes, and bulk data queries — and whether those logs are forwarded to your SIEM for breach detection.
Cloud Database Security
IAM-to-DB privilege path analysis, public endpoint exposure, KMS/Key Vault encryption review, snapshot permission audit, and VPC isolation verification for RDS, Azure SQL, and Google Cloud SQL.
DBA-Level Depth. Not Port Scans.
Database security requires engine-level expertise — privilege models, stored procedures, encryption configuration — not surface-level scanner output. That is what we deliver.
All DB Platforms
Oracle, MSSQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, Elasticsearch, Cassandra, and cloud-managed databases (RDS, Azure SQL, Cloud SQL) — assessed by a single specialist team.
DBA-Level Depth
We assess at the database engine level — stored procedures, linked servers, audit policies, TDE configuration — not just external port scanning and surface-level checks.
CIS Benchmark Aligned
Every assessment maps to CIS Database Benchmarks for the specific engine under review — giving you a compliance evidence pack for PCI-DSS, GDPR, and HIPAA database requirements.
Zero False Positives
Every privilege escalation path and SQL injection impact is manually demonstrated with evidence before appearing in your report. No scanner output, no guesswork, no noise.
Industry-Leading Tools We Use
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about database security assessments
Ready to Secure Your Database Layer?
Databases are the final target of every breach — but receive the least direct security scrutiny. Schedule a consultation with our database security team and assess your privilege model, encryption posture, and logging gaps before your data becomes someone else's breach statistic.
Get in Touch
Ready to secure your future? Reach out to us for a consultation.