Security Solution Features in the Data Provider for Informix
In basic terminology, IBM Informix is an embeddable, high-performance database for integrating SQL, NoSQL, JSON, time-series and spatial data. Designed for analytics on the edge, in the cloud or on premises, the low-footprint database features self-management and automated administrative capabilities. On the other hand, a containerized version of Informix on the IBM Cloud Pak for Data platform, one can more easily deploy on public, private or hybrid clouds.
After discussing about the concept of Informix in a nutshell, one should concentrate on some of the security features in the data provider for Informix as a whole. Whereas, one can use the OLE DB Provider for Informix (Data Provider) to connect Windows data consumer applications to that of the remote IBM Informix relational database management servers. However, the Data Provider, generally, function as a distributed relational database architecture (DRDA) application requester client that supports the DRDA protocol and formats that are compatible both with IBM Informix server products functioning as DRDA application servers.
At the same time, one can use the data provider by issuing structured query language statements. These statements include that of the data definition language statements for administration and data manipulation management statements for read and write operations. Whereas, the data provider connects the Windows client applications to the Informix server databases with the assistance of a transmission control protocol over an internet protocol (TCP/IP) network that use one or more of the optional security features described later in this particular article.
Security
User Account- On the other hand, the data provider tools, data access tool and data links, all basically run in the context of a particular user account, and the user account has to be a member of the HIS administrators and HIS runtime user's local groups.
Folder Access Control List
However, the user account, on the other hand, basically requires the folder access control list settings associated with the HIS administrator's local group and HIS runtime user local group.
Thus, some of the codes and path of running it are as follows
“Program Files\Microsoft Host Integration Server 2021
Program Files\Microsoft Host Integration Server 2021\system
Program Files\Microsoft Host Integration Server 2021\ SysWOW64Program Files\Microsoft Host Integration Server 2013\traces
Documents\Host Integration Server\Data Sources”
Some of the security features in the Data Provider for Informix are as follows
o Data Tools store the authentication credentials in plain text in the Universal Data Link (UDL)
In general, it is the data links that stores the authentication credentials like user name and password in a plain text format, especially within the Universal Data Link (UDL) file. Thus, one recommends that you configure the data providers to use enterprise single sign-on (ESSO), which securely stores mappings from windows active directory accounts to IBM Informix credentials as a whole. Thus, it is the data providers that basically retrieve these mappings at runtime to securely authenticate Windows users to remote IBM Informix database servers. At the same time, one should run the data provider in-process with the data consumer and data tools.
o Data Provider connects by using unencrypted, plain text, user name and password
On the other hand, it is the data provider that mainly connects to the remote Informix server computers over a TCP/IP network using basic authentication, where the user's name and password are not encrypted and are submitted with the assistance of a plain text. In general, it is recommended that you configure the data provider to use authentication encryption simply by using secure sockets layer (SSL) V3.0 or transport layer security (TLS) V1.0.
o Data Provider sends and receive unencrypted data
In general, data provider sends and receives unencrypted data more often than not, as it is recommended that one should configure the data provider efficiently in order to use data encryption with the assistance of secure sockets layer (SSL) V3.0 or transport layer security (TLS) V1.0 as a whole.
o Data consumers and data tools read and write connection files to and from unsecure folders
In basic terminology, data consumers and data tools can seamlessly read and write connection files to and from unsecure folders without any kind of hassles. As a result, one should quickly store universal data link (UDL) files in the host integration server\data sources or a program directory, and then secure the folder with local administrator rights as a whole. On the other hand, one should persist the connection information into the data consumers and data tools secure stores, and then run the data provider in-process with the data consumer and data tools as a whole.
o Data Consumers and Data Tools can request connections with invalid properties
At times, both data consumers and data tools can more often request connections with invalid connection property values, and one should use the data consumers that create connections using the data provider connection objects instead of passing unverified connection string argument name value pairs. Also, one should set a priority connection timeout value to cancel all the invalid connection attempts at the same time.
o Data Consumers and Data Tools can request commands with invalid data
At the same time, data consumers and data tools can request commands with invalid data, and you should use the data consumers that create commands using the data provider command with the parameter objects, to validate parameter types, instead of passing an unverified command string with the following inline data values. However, one should quickly set a command timeout value to cancel the invalid command attempts. Also, you should set a command timeout value to cancel the invalid command attempts, and use DRDA distributed unit of work (DUW), instead of remote unit of work (RUW), to protect the Data Consumers using the two-phase commit transactions.
In conclusion, it can be said that if you follow all these security features religiously, then you can keep your data provider in Informix secured in every possible way. Do you plan to secure your data provider in Informix for your business? Connect with us, to get suggestions from our experienced IBM experts of All Blue Solutions, to get a free consultation regarding this.
