Research Report: Implementing Secure Web Databases in Cloud Instances

This report provides an overview of implementing web databases in cloud instances, emphasizing the critical aspects of security and recent advancements in database technology. It explores the four layers of a web database application: the browser layer, application logic layer, database connection layer, and database layer, highlighting the security measures needed at each level. The report addresses potential security threats and recommends adopting a three-tier client architecture to enhance web database application security. It concludes that implementing secure web databases with unified access is crucial to mitigate cyber-attacks and ensure data protection in the cloud environment. The document is available on Desklib, a platform offering study tools and resources for students.

Running head: WEB DATABASE IMPLEMENTATION 1
IMPLEMENTING A WEB DATABASE IN CLOUD INSTANCE
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WEB DATABASE IMPLIMENTATION 2
Introduction
Nearly all website applications are database driven nowadays. An increase in the number
of organizations and individuals relocating their data to cloud is recorded each day. As many
web applications are created, more website database security threats arise every day. Despite the
fact that web developers keep the pace of technology advancement and revolution in their
development skills, many loopholes still exist because many web developers do not spend much
effort in reinforcing security during development process mainly because they lack security
incentives and insufficiency in security testing. Implementing a web database on cloud offers
measurable benefits such as resource utilization and low cost among others. However, the
benefits only come with robust implementation strategies.
In the world with the fast pacing technology, everything cannot be expected to go the
normal way; things go wrong sometimes. Data breaches increase day by day; the Guardian
(2017) reports an exclusive cyber-attack at Deloitte, an internationally known organization based
in the United States. According to the Guardian (2017), the attack found the middle ground of a
server that had the emails of over 350 clients inclusive of four government department in the UN
as well as the biggest multinationals in the world (Guardian, 2017). Typically, hacker target
information include names, social security numbers, credit card numbers, and debit card
numbers, among others. Data breaches can occur due to many reasons including hackers
breaking into a system database. This habit can, however, be mitigated during web database
implementation in various ways.
While implementing a robust web database that is free from cyber-attacks like the ones
mentioned above, a developer must be well conversant with various aspects of web database
development (Phillips, 2011). A web database is a collection of related information hosted in a

WEB DATABASE IMPLIMENTATION 3
web server. It enables any authorized user to gain access into a system to log in and analyze data
in the system database. Web database development is consist of front end as well as back end
development (Batra, & Li, 2010). The two parts of web development are sub-divided into four
layers of a web database application as described in the following section.
Browser layer
The browser layer, also called a web database application client, performs two critical
functions in a web database. First, the layer defines the layout of a web application, this is
supported by HTML, and CSS (Petry et al., 2018). Another function is to ensure the front-end
extension functionality that is facilitated by JavaScript, PHP, and Java.
Application logic layer
This is the layer where most developers spend their time. The layer handles a collection
of data including query or SQL statements, preparing the query and sending it to the database
through a database connection layer, get feedback from the layer and format, and display it for
users (Coronel, & Morris, 2016). The layer can also be referred to as business logic as it handles
various functionalities and rules pertaining to business logic. The security responsibility of this
layer, however, depends on the method of implantation for the web database. As such the
developer should be cognizant of the following questions while implementing a web database: is
the web application intended for public or only open to registered users? What are the network
checks i.e. IP addresses and span filter? Does the site require a user of a specific role? This layer
is good for auditing of requests.
Database connection layer

WEB DATABASE IMPLIMENTATION 4
The layer provide a connection between a web server and a web database. The
overwhelming task of the labor-intensive database connection is gone; there are multiple web
database tools that facilitate database connectivity selection that has simplified the connectivity
process (Quast et al., 2012). The tools mainly connect DBMS and the application logic layer.
Database layer
Beyond the database connection layer, the data layer is the layer where security which
needs the most database security measures. The database security refers to the wide-ranging use
of data security panels to prevent web database from security breach. Technical, administrative,
as well as physical control, are the areas to be secured in a web database (Guardian, 2017).
Database consist of various security layers including security administrator, database
administrator, security officer, employers, and developers.
To set up a robust web database, the following must be put into consideration:
• Pose various security threats to the aforementioned layers.
• Adopt three the three-tier client architecture to satisfy the need for advancement in web
database application.
There are various categories of tier
The presentation tier: plays the role of information gathering and display it in a user-friendly
and legible manner.
The logic tier: transfer information between a website and data tier
The data storage tier: play the role of implementing persistence data storage with the relational
database or other types of database.

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Conclusion
At a glance, a conclusion can be derived from the above study that with the ever-
increasing web databases on the internet which has led to security concerns, it is impending to
implement web databases and offer individuals a unified access to them with no security
concerns. In conclusion, this thesis has presented a research on ways to implement a secure web
database in the cloud instance that can help us to avoid cyber-attacks in the future.

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References
Batra, V. S., & Li, W. S. (2010). U.S. Patent No. 7,685,131. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office.
Coronel, C., & Morris, S. (2016). Database systems: design, implementation, & management.
Cengage Learning.
Guardian, (2017). Deloitte hack hit server containing emails from across US government.
Retrieved on 15th September 2018 from: <
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/oct/10/deloitte-hack-hit-server-containing-
emails-from-across-us-government>
Petry, S. M., Rajagopal, R., Lund, P. K., Cox, F. L., Moore, A. P., Dunston, L. L., & Zaugg, B.
T. (2018). U.S. Patent Application No. 10/027,700.
Phillips, R. (2011). U.S. Patent Application No. 12/944,233.
Quast, C., Pruesse, E., Yilmaz, P., Gerken, J., Schweer, T., Yarza, P., & Glöckner, F. O. (2012).
The SILVA ribosomal RNA gene database project: improved data processing and web-
based tools. Nucleic acids research, 41(D1), D590-D596.