What Is Virtual Patching?

Virtual patching provides real-time protection against database vulnerabilities without database downtime.

Intrusion Detection and Prevention for Databases

Virtual patching is a way to protect the database against exploits without actually patching the DBMS kernel. This creates a security layer around the database that, unlike vendor patching, does not require downtime or application testing.

Listen to this interview with database security guru Pete Finnigan to learn more: (27 min.)

By monitoring all actions in the database and matching them against rules that detect known exploits and vulnerabilities, virtual patching detects attempted exploits. When a match occurs, an alert is issued and the suspicious session can be terminated and the originating user quarantined for specified period, until the nature of the suspected attack is investigated.

Virtual patching is great way to immediately reduce the risk created by long intervals between vendor patches. Additionally, it is the only way to support older DBMS versions that are no longer supported by the vendors (as with Oracle 8i and MS SQL Server 2000).