Types of Open-Source Databases and Security in Them

The term open-source software refers to software users can modify and leverage thanks to its accessibility and convenience. According to ZDNet, nine out of 10 companies use open-source software, and most of the companies use the source code import from external locations to use them for only internal cases. 

Leveraging open-source not only for software but also for various occasions can reduce the resources spent on developing the entire software internally. Here we look at open source database (DB), the basis of many open source projects, and the ultimate security guide to protect open-source databases against vulnerabilities. 

 

Open Source Database Industry 

As open source technologies are used more actively in various industries, there is no doubt that emerging technologies such as cloud and digital transformation helped open source projects to become essential for companies to shift and optimize their businesses accordingly. However, most traditional DBs are more optimized for on-premise environments such as massive data centers which makes things more difficult for them to be transferred to the cloud. 

Open-source DB allows users to enjoy the benefits of a cloud environment as it is not affected by the number of CPU cores, etc. As a result, users can expand their environments as much as they need, which allows open-source databases to respond more agilely to the demand for system expansion.

Therefore companies that are considering transferring their databases to the cloud are gradually shifting to open-source databases. In the past, when replacing or purchasing a new DMBS within an organization, most purchased the same product without giving much thought. However, now it’s widely accepted that switching to an open-source DBMS is more beneficial for organizations. 

 

Types of Open-source Databases 

According to DB Engine, in a popularity ranking as of January 2021, open-source DBs surpassed traditional DBs for the first time in the world. DB Engine announces rankings based on the amount of search on Google every month, and the number of times it was mentioned in the developer communities. Therefore, it may be slightly different from the actual number of DBs used however still reflects the market trend. As of 2013, the popularity score of open-source DBs reached 35.5%, however in 2021, it increased to 50.1%, allowing experts to predict that it will increase even more drastically in the near future. 

 

MySQL 

MySQL is the world’s most used open-source DB, provided by Oracle. It is often used in systems such as Google or Yahoo, that collect information publicly available on the web and provide it as a searchable database. 

PostgreSQL 

With a history of about 20 years, PostgreSQL is an open-source DB that is popular in North America and Japan. It allows users to create various database projects using complex data types, aggregate functions, data type converters, and even extension functions. It is known to be quite similar to Oracle’s DB MySQL and is well-known for Oracle users as the most easily adaptable open-source language.

MariaDB 

MariaDB is an open-source DB developed by the MariaDB Foundation, however, the development is led by some of the original developers of MySQL. MariaDB’s unique features are added to improve functionality while maintaining compatibility with MySQL. 

MongoDB 

MongoDB is a document-oriented open-source DB provided under the Server Side Public License (SSPL) and is developed and supported by MongoDB Inc. Many companies that need to deal with big data tend to use MongoDB as it supports the desired response speed and stability in the development process. 

 

Security Measures for Open-source Databases: Encryption Solution 

When it comes to data protection, the most secure and intuitive solution is encryption. Penta Security’s crypto platform D’Amo is known as South Korea’s first cryptographic product and has the largest market share. D’Amo also has a suite of products optimized for open-source databases. 

Setting up cryptographic software for an open-source database often requires experienced developers to implement extensive and complex codes in the DBMS. However, D’Amo for open-source not only can easily be implemented but also encrypts the entire DB or even individual data files by column, so it doesn’t affect work performance during the encryption process. D’Amo also addresses compliance issues by meeting all compliance requirements such as GDPR, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and CCPA compliance. 

Click here to get to know more about D’Amo today.