Database Securities

The use of database in computer systems has changed the direction of computing. More than before, software developers are increasingly using databases in the application to provide data-driven functions. Whether the application being developed is a small software for keeping track of things to be done or keeping user names of users of a social website like Twitter, a database is more likely to be used. The use of database in software development has elucidated a lot of issues of primary concern in the development of software applications with databases at the back end. In developing database application systems, developers have to contend with security, legal, ethical, and privacy issues that are related with the database systems.

Security issues

      According to Ray (2009), database, security is an integral part of database development, and necessary for the success of computer systems. Database security is of foremost concern since it influences that use of the especially database, as well as the credibility of the data stores in the database. When designing a database, developers must ensure that the data meets certain constraints. In order to achieve this goal, databases systems must have constraints that allow correct data to be keyed into the system. In addition, the database systems must also have some levels of privileges that will influence what users can do. Furthermore, the lack of user authentication in a database system is a concern that calls for the use of authentication strategies to deny access to unauthorized persons. The lack of authentication, data constraints or privileges can impact the security of the database in a significant way.

Legal issues

      There are several legal issues that are related to databases. Database systems are used to store data for various functions and safety of this information is paramount. Database systems are often protected by laws that define their use, as well as their ownership. To ensure that database are protected from infringement, there are certain laws that are applied on the database in order to protect it from hackers who aim to misuse or steal data stored in the system (Fishman, 2010). Therefore, it is a crime against the law to damage or gain authorized access into a database system.

Privacy issues

      Database systems have some privacy concerns that must be addressed in an appropriate manner. Many online companies like eBay have a role of securing their system in order to make their databases secure. In an event, where hackers gain access to a database, privacy of the database users will be infringed, and this is likely to create serious problems. When database contents are exposed to the public domain, privacy of users is like be compromised leading to several negative outcomes, both to the firm and to users of the database system.

Ethical issue

      Information stored in the databases defines how they can be used, as well as the limit of the system. When database contents are not used in an appropriate manner, ethical issues are bound to emerge. For example, it would be improper for a social website like Facebook to share the contents of its database to marketers who will then flood users with promotion or other unsolicited emails (Davidson, 2003). Such practices would be considered to be unethical.

      Without doubt, database systems have several issues associated with them. Security of database systems should be enforced to ensure that data store is safe and credible. In addition, database systems should be used ethically to prevent infringing the privacy of users, as well as avoiding ethical concerns from users who can result in litigation of database owners. Above and beyond, database security influences the use of database systems in computing.