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US 8,302,154 B2Granted
Automatic and adjustable system and method for synchronizing security mechanisms in database drivers with database servers
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsSatheesh E. Bandaram, Huaxin Gao, Bilung Lee, Paul Ostler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for database security provides multiple choices of security mechanisms for enabling access to a database through a database driver. A security mechanism that is compatible with a database is selected and the security mechanisms between an application and a database server are automatically determined using the selected security mechanism.
Claims20
A database security method comprising:
- requesting, by an application executing on a computer, access to a database server using a primary security mechanism;
- receiving a response from a database server that the primary security mechanism is not supported, the response comprising a plurality of alternative security mechanisms;
- receiving, on the computer, via a database driver, multiple choices of said plurality of alternative security mechanisms supported by the database server, the database driver configured to enable access to a database;
- determining that a synchronization flag is set;
- responsive to determining that the synchronization flag is set performing:
- selecting, at the computer, a security mechanism from the multiple choices of said plurality of alternative security mechanisms supported by the database server using said database driver;
- and
- automatically synchronizing security mechanisms between the application and the database server using said selected security mechanism;
- and responsive to determining that the synchronization flag is not set, returning an error.
6 more elements
A database security method comprising:
- constructing a priority list;
- storing a synchronization flag in an application, said flag instructing a database driver to synchronize a security mechanism with a database server or not;
- retrieving, at a computer, an initial security mechanism from the application;
- exchanging information between said database server and said database driver;
- requesting, at the computer, secure data access to a database controlled by said database server;
- informing said database server of said initial security mechanism;
- determining, at the computer, if said database server supports said initial security mechanism;
- responsive to determining that the initial security mechanism is not supported, determining that a synchronization flag is set;
- responsive to determining that the synchronization flag is set performing:
- determining, at the computer, an alternative security mechanism;
- automatically synchronizing the alternative security mechanism, with the application;
- sending said alternative synchronized security mechanism to said database server;
- conducting, at the computer, a security check;
- and
- connecting said database server to said application if said security check is passed;
- and
- responsive to determining that the synchronization flag is not set, returning an error.
14 more elements
A system comprising:
- a hardware processor;
- a synchronization flag interface, executing on the hardware processor, the synchronization flag interface for storing and retrieving a synchronization flag;
- an initial security mechanism interface for storing and retrieving an initial security mechanism;
- an alternative security mechanism interface for storing and retrieving an alternative security mechanism;
- a priority definition interface for defining priorities of alternative security mechanisms;
- and
- a priority list containing said defined priorities of said alternative security mechanisms;
- the system performing:
- requesting, access to a database server using said initial security mechanism;
- receiving a response from said database server that said initial security mechanism is not supported, the response comprising a plurality of said alternative security mechanisms;
- receiving, via a database driver, multiple choices of said alternative security mechanisms supported by the database server, the database driver configured to enable access to a database;
- determining that the synchronization flag is set;
- responsive to determining that the synchronization flag is set performing:
- selecting a security mechanism from the multiple choices of said alternative security mechanisms supported by the database server using said database driver;
- and
- automatically synchronizing security mechanisms between the system and the database server using said selected security mechanism;
- and
- responsive to determining that the synchronization flag is not set, returning an error.
15 more elements
A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable storage medium storing a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer performs:
- determining if a database server supports an initial security mechanism;
- responsive to determining that the initial security mechanism is not supported, determining that a synchronization flag is set in an application;
- responsive to determining that the synchronization flag is set further performing:
- providing, via a database driver, multiple choices of security mechanisms supported by a database server, said database driver enabling access to a database;
- selecting a security mechanism from the multiple choices of security mechanisms supported by the database server using said database driver;
- and
- automatically synchronizing security mechanisms between the application and the database server using said selected security mechanism;
- and
- responsive to determining that the synchronization flag is not set, returning an error.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.