How to Audit User Access to Sensitive Data in SQL?

Auditing user Access to Sensitive Data

Write a SQL query to audit user access to sensitive data using triggers.

Solution:

-- Create a trigger to log access to sensitive data.
CREATE TRIGGER LogSensitiveAccess
ON Employees
FOR SELECT
AS
BEGIN
    INSERT INTO AccessLog (UserName, TableName, AccessTime)
    VALUES (SYSTEM_USER, 'Employees', GETDATE());
END;

Explanation:

• Purpose of the Query :
• The goal is to demonstrate how to audit user access to sensitive data using triggers.
• Key Components :
• CREATE TRIGGER: Defines a trigger to log access events.
• INSERT INTO AccessLog: Logs user details and access time.
• SYSTEM_USER: Captures the username of the accessing user.
• Why Audit Access? :
• Auditing ensures accountability and helps detect unauthorized access.
• It supports compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Real-World Application :
• In financial systems, auditing tracks access to sensitive account data.

Additional Notes:

• Use triggers sparingly to avoid performance overhead.
• Regularly review audit logs for suspicious activity.
• Important Considerations:
• Ensure that audit logs are secure and tamper-proof.

For more Practice: Solve these Related Problems:

• Write a SQL query to create a trigger that logs access to the FinancialRecords table.
• Write a SQL query to audit SELECT operations on the Employees table and log the user's IP address.
• Write a SQL query to track all modifications made to the Salary column in the HRData table.
• Write a SQL query to create an audit log for DELETE operations on the Orders table.

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Previous SQL Exercise: Enabling Data Masking for Sensitive Columns.
Next SQL Exercise: Restricting Schema Modifications with DDL Triggers.