c77_secure_db/SECURITY.md

Security Policy

🛡️ Our Security Commitment

The c77_secure_db extension is designed with security as the primary concern. This document outlines our security policies, vulnerability reporting procedures, and the security architecture of the extension.

🚨 Reporting Security Vulnerabilities

Please DO NOT report security vulnerabilities through public GitHub issues.

If you discover a security vulnerability in c77_secure_db, please report it responsibly:

Preferred Reporting Method

• Email: security@yourcompany.com
• Subject: [SECURITY] c77_secure_db Vulnerability Report
• Encryption: Use our PGP key if possible (key ID: YOUR_PGP_KEY_ID)

What to Include

1. Description: Clear description of the vulnerability
2. Steps to Reproduce: Detailed steps to reproduce the issue
3. Impact Assessment: Your assessment of the potential impact
4. Proof of Concept: If available, a proof-of-concept (responsibly disclosed)
5. Suggested Fix: If you have ideas for remediation
6. Contact Information: How we can reach you for follow-up

Response Timeline

• Initial Response: Within 24 hours of report
• Vulnerability Assessment: Within 72 hours
• Fix Development: Timeline varies based on severity
• Security Advisory: Published after fix is available

Responsible Disclosure

We request that you:

• Give us reasonable time to address the issue before public disclosure
• Avoid accessing or modifying data that doesn't belong to you
• Don't perform actions that could harm the availability of the service
• Only test against your own installations

🔐 Security Architecture

Multi-Layer Security Model

c77_secure_db implements defense-in-depth with multiple security layers:

Layer 1: Trigger Protection

• Purpose: Prevent all direct database modifications
• Mechanism: PostgreSQL triggers on all protected tables
• Coverage: INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE operations
• Bypass Prevention: Cannot be disabled without superuser access

Layer 2: Token Authorization

• Purpose: Authorize legitimate operations
• Mechanism: Short-lived, single-use authorization tokens
• Token Lifespan: 5 seconds maximum
• Session Binding: Tokens tied to specific database sessions
• Replay Prevention: Single-use tokens prevent replay attacks

Layer 3: Content Integrity

• Purpose: Detect unauthorized data modifications
• Mechanism: SHA-256 cryptographic hashing
• Coverage: All business data (excluding system columns)
• Verification: On-demand and scheduled integrity checks

Layer 4: Audit Trail

• Purpose: Complete operation logging for forensics
• Coverage: All secure operations, successes and failures
• Retention: Configurable retention periods for compliance
• Immutability: Audit logs protected by same security layers

Layer 5: Access Control (Optional)

• Purpose: Role-based permission enforcement
• Integration: c77_rbac extension for advanced permissions
• Granularity: Feature-based and scope-based access control
• Fallback: Secure operation without RBAC if not available

Threat Model

Threats Mitigated

Threat Category	Mitigation Strategy	Security Layer
SQL Injection	Trigger protection blocks direct SQL	Layer 1
Application Bypass	Token validation required for all operations	Layer 2
Data Tampering	Content hash verification detects changes	Layer 3
Replay Attacks	Single-use, time-limited tokens	Layer 2
Session Hijacking	Session-specific token binding	Layer 2
Privilege Escalation	Controlled function execution with SECURITY DEFINER	All Layers
Audit Log Tampering	Audit data protected by same security layers	Layer 4
Unauthorized Access	RBAC integration with scope-based permissions	Layer 5

Assumptions

Our security model assumes:

• PostgreSQL superuser access is properly controlled
• Database network communication is encrypted (TLS)
• Application servers are reasonably secure
• System administrators follow security best practices
• Regular security updates are applied

Known Limitations

• PostgreSQL Superuser: Can bypass all protections (by design)
• Physical Access: Direct file system access can compromise data
• Memory Dumps: Active tokens might be visible in memory dumps
• Time Synchronization: Token expiration depends on accurate system time
• Extension Dependencies: Security depends on pgcrypto extension integrity

Cryptographic Details

Content Hashing

• Algorithm: SHA-256
• Input: Sorted key-value pairs of business data
• Salt: None (deterministic hashing for verification)
• Exclusions: System columns (timestamps, hashes, etc.)
• Performance: Optimized for production workloads

Token Generation

• Source: PostgreSQL's gen_random_uuid() function
• Entropy: Based on system randomness
• Format: UUID v4 standard
• Storage: Temporary database table with automatic cleanup

🔒 Security Controls

Access Controls

Installation Requirements

• Superuser Required: Initial installation requires PostgreSQL superuser
• Post-Installation: Regular users can operate with granted roles

Runtime Permissions

• c77_secure_db_readonly: Read-only operations (freshness checks, health monitoring)
• c77_secure_db_user: Standard secure operations (insert, update, delete)
• c77_secure_db_admin: Administrative functions (hash verification, schema management)

RBAC Integration

• Optional: Works with or without c77_rbac extension
• Granular: Feature-based permissions (secure_db_insert, secure_db_update, etc.)
• Scoped: Department, region, or custom scope-based access
• Audited: All RBAC decisions logged in audit trail

Data Protection

Data at Rest

• Database Files: Protected by PostgreSQL's standard file permissions
• Hash Storage: Content hashes stored alongside data in same security context
• Audit Logs: Subject to same database security as operational data
• Tokens: Automatically purged expired tokens (default: daily cleanup)

Data in Transit

• Application to Database: Use PostgreSQL TLS connections
• Token Transmission: Tokens transmitted via secure database session
• Audit Data: Logged locally within database, no network transmission

Data Processing

• Hash Calculation: Performed within database using pgcrypto
• Token Validation: Atomic database operations with automatic cleanup
• Operation Logging: Immediate logging within same transaction context

Monitoring and Alerting

Security Monitoring

-- Key security metrics to monitor
SELECT 
    'Error Rate' as metric,
    count(*) FILTER (WHERE success = false)::numeric / count(*) * 100 as percentage
FROM c77_secure_db_operation_audit 
WHERE created_at > now() - interval '1 hour';

-- Token anomalies
SELECT count(*) as active_tokens 
FROM c77_secure_db_auth_tokens 
WHERE expires_at > now();

-- Unusual access patterns
SELECT user_name, count(*) as operations
FROM c77_secure_db_operation_audit 
WHERE created_at > now() - interval '1 hour'
GROUP BY user_name
HAVING count(*) > 100;

Recommended Alerts

• Error Rate > 5%: Indicates potential security issues or attacks
• Active Tokens > 100: May indicate token cleanup problems
• Hash Mismatches: Critical security alert requiring immediate investigation
• Off-Hours Activity: Unusual activity outside business hours
• Repeated Failures: Multiple failed operations from same user

🔄 Security Update Process

Severity Classification

Critical (CVSS 9.0-10.0)

• Timeline: Patch within 24-48 hours
• Examples: Authentication bypass, data corruption, privilege escalation
• Response: Emergency release, immediate security advisory

High (CVSS 7.0-8.9)

• Timeline: Patch within 1 week
• Examples: Information disclosure, denial of service
• Response: Priority release, security advisory

Medium (CVSS 4.0-6.9)

• Timeline: Patch within 30 days
• Examples: Less severe information disclosure, limited DoS
• Response: Regular release cycle, documented in changelog

Low (CVSS 0.1-3.9)

• Timeline: Next regular release
• Examples: Minor information disclosure, edge cases
• Response: Standard release process

Update Distribution

Security Advisories

• Format: GitHub Security Advisories
• Content: CVE ID, affected versions, mitigation steps, upgrade instructions
• Distribution: GitHub, mailing list, website

Patch Releases

• Naming: Increment patch version (e.g., 2.0 → 2.0.1)
• Content: Security fixes only, minimal functional changes
• Testing: Automated security test suite must pass
• Backwards Compatibility: Maintained unless security requires breaking changes

Upgrade Instructions

-- Security update process
-- 1. Backup your database
pg_dump your_database > backup_before_security_update.sql

-- 2. Install new extension files
sudo cp c77_secure_db--2.0.1.sql $(pg_config --sharedir)/extension/

-- 3. Update extension
ALTER EXTENSION c77_secure_db UPDATE TO '2.0.1';

-- 4. Verify security update
SELECT c77_secure_db_run_all_tests();
-- Must return: "overall_status": "ALL_TESTS_PASSED"

-- 5. Check health after update
SELECT c77_secure_db_health_check();

📋 Compliance and Standards

Security Standards Alignment

NIST Cybersecurity Framework

• Identify: Asset inventory, risk assessment procedures
• Protect: Access controls, data security, protective technology
• Detect: Security monitoring, anomaly detection
• Respond: Incident response procedures, forensic capabilities
• Recover: Recovery planning, backup and restore procedures

OWASP Guidelines

• A01 Broken Access Control: Prevented by trigger protection and RBAC
• A02 Cryptographic Failures: SHA-256 hashing with proper implementation
• A03 Injection: SQL injection prevented by trigger layer
• A08 Software Integrity Failures: Content hash verification
• A09 Security Logging: Comprehensive audit trail

Database Security Best Practices

• Principle of Least Privilege: Granular role-based permissions
• Defense in Depth: Multiple security layers
• Audit Logging: Complete operation trail
• Data Integrity: Cryptographic verification
• Access Controls: Authentication and authorization

Regulatory Considerations

HIPAA (Healthcare)

• Administrative Safeguards: Access management, audit procedures
• Physical Safeguards: Database server protection (external to extension)
• Technical Safeguards: Access controls, audit logs, data integrity

SOX (Financial)

• Internal Controls: Automated security controls, segregation of duties
• Audit Trail: Complete transaction logging with timestamps
• Data Integrity: Hash verification for financial data

GDPR (Privacy)

• Data Protection: Encryption at rest and in transit (implementation-dependent)
• Audit Requirements: Complete processing logs
• Right to Deletion: Secure deletion capabilities (soft delete support)

🔍 Security Testing

Automated Security Tests

The extension includes comprehensive security tests:

-- Run complete security test suite
SELECT c77_secure_db_run_all_tests();

-- Specific security tests
SELECT c77_secure_db_test_security();

-- RBAC integration tests  
SELECT c77_secure_db_test_rbac_integration();

Test Coverage

• Bypass Prevention: Attempts to circumvent trigger protection
• Token Security: Token expiration, single-use validation, session binding
• Hash Integrity: Content hash calculation and verification
• RBAC Integration: Permission enforcement, scope validation
• Error Handling: Security-relevant error conditions
• Performance: Security overhead measurement

Security Validation Requirements

Pre-Release Testing

• All security tests pass with 100% success rate
• No bypass vulnerabilities identified
• Performance impact within acceptable limits
• RBAC integration functions correctly
• Error handling doesn't leak sensitive information
• Audit logging captures all required events

Production Deployment Validation

-- Mandatory post-deployment security check
DO $
DECLARE
    v_test_results jsonb;
BEGIN
    -- Run security tests
    SELECT c77_secure_db_run_all_tests() INTO v_test_results;
    
    -- Verify all tests passed
    IF (v_test_results->>'overall_status') != 'ALL_TESTS_PASSED' THEN
        RAISE EXCEPTION 'DEPLOYMENT FAILED: Security tests did not pass. Status: %', 
            v_test_results->>'overall_status'
            USING HINT = 'Do not use in production until all security tests pass';
    END IF;
    
    RAISE NOTICE 'Security validation passed - extension ready for production use';
END $;

🚨 Incident Response

Security Incident Classifications

P0 - Critical Security Breach

• Definition: Active exploitation, data compromise, or system compromise
• Response Time: Immediate (< 1 hour)
• Actions:
  • Isolate affected systems
  • Preserve forensic evidence
  • Notify security team and management
  • Begin incident response procedures

P1 - High Security Risk

• Definition: Vulnerability discovered, attempted exploitation, or suspicious activity
• Response Time: Within 4 hours
• Actions:
  • Assess impact and risk
  • Implement temporary mitigations
  • Begin patch development
  • Monitor for exploitation attempts

P2 - Medium Security Issue

• Definition: Lower-risk vulnerability or security concern
• Response Time: Within 24 hours
• Actions:
  • Document and prioritize
  • Plan remediation
  • Schedule fix in next release cycle

Forensic Capabilities

Audit Trail Analysis

-- Incident investigation queries
-- Identify suspicious activity patterns
SELECT 
    user_name,
    operation_type,
    count(*) as frequency,
    min(created_at) as first_occurrence,
    max(created_at) as last_occurrence,
    array_agg(DISTINCT error_message) FILTER (WHERE success = false) as errors
FROM c77_secure_db_operation_audit 
WHERE created_at BETWEEN 'incident_start_time' AND 'incident_end_time'
GROUP BY user_name, operation_type
ORDER BY frequency DESC;

-- Hash verification for tampered data
SELECT c77_secure_db_verify_content_hashes('affected_schema', 'affected_table');

-- Token analysis during incident window
SELECT 
    session_id,
    operation_type,
    count(*) as token_count,
    min(created_at) as first_token,
    max(expires_at) as last_expiry
FROM c77_secure_db_auth_tokens 
WHERE created_at BETWEEN 'incident_start_time' AND 'incident_end_time'
GROUP BY session_id, operation_type;

Evidence Preservation

• Audit Logs: Immutable record of all operations
• Hash Values: Cryptographic proof of data state
• Token Records: Authorization trail for forensic analysis
• System Logs: PostgreSQL logs with detailed operation information

📞 Security Contacts

Security Team

• Primary Contact: security@yourcompany.com
• Response Time: 24 hours maximum
• Escalation: Available for critical issues

Development Team

• Technical Contact: developers@yourcompany.com
• Availability: Business hours
• Expertise: Extension architecture and implementation

Emergency Contacts

• After Hours: emergency@yourcompany.com
• Critical Issues: Available 24/7
• Response: Within 1 hour for P0 incidents

📚 Additional Resources

Security Documentation

• BEST_PRACTICES.md: Comprehensive security best practices
• USAGE.md: Security-focused usage examples
• EXAMPLES.md: Secure implementation patterns

External Resources

• PostgreSQL Security: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/security.html
• OWASP Database Security: https://owasp.org/www-project-database-security/
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework: https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework

Security Tools

• pgaudit: PostgreSQL auditing extension
• pg_stat_statements: Query performance and security monitoring
• log_statement: PostgreSQL statement logging for security analysis

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📄 Security Policy Updates

This security policy is reviewed quarterly and updated as needed to reflect:

• New threats and vulnerabilities
• Changes in security best practices
• Updates to compliance requirements
• Lessons learned from security incidents

Last Updated: January 2025
Next Review: April 2025
Version: 2.0