It is important to understand the concepts of a database before one can grasp database security. A generic database definition is "a usually large collection of data organized especially for rapid search and retrieval (as by a computer)" (Database). This is not much different than Oracle's database definition, "An Oracle database is a collection of data treated as a unit. The purpose of a database is to store and retrieve related information." (Oracle Corporation) Databases can range from simplistic to complex. An example of a simple database is an address book. An address book provides great functionality but limits itself to specific information. For example, what if you need to include information about the model car the contact drives, or what their favorite food is? Chances are you would need another database. In a business environment it does not make sense to maintain multiple hard copy databases. Businesses must maintain large amounts of data. Examples of data are inventory, finances, payroll, employee information, and sales history.

The link for this article located at InfoSec Writers is no longer available.