Installation
Q: What exactly do I need to install?
In order to run Hedgehog, you need to install the server first, then one or more sensors. The server can be installed on any machine, even a desktop for testing purposes (though we would not recommend it for a production environment). The sensor should be installed on the database host machine. Once you install the server, you will be guided through the licensing and sensor installation process.
Q: How large is the download and what does it include?
The download for the server software plus one sensor is ~25MB and includes the installation package for Hedgehog as well as documentation and a Quick Start guide.
Q: How long will it take to install and configure Hedgehog on a single database?
Installation only takes a few minutes. You will first install the server software, followed by installation of the sensor on the DBMS host machine. The sensor will automatically discover the database and establish communications with the server, after which you will be required to approve the sensor. Predefined rules will be available immediately, and you will be able to define custom rules using a wizard. For most applications, creating initial rules should not take more than a couple of hours.
Q: What permissions do I need in order to install Hedgehog?
Since Hedgehog installs a sensor on the monitored database server, you need sufficient access to allow installation of software on that server. You do not need to have DBA privileges for the database itself.
Q: My company has a strict policy of not installing any 3rd party software on our database servers, does that mean I cannot install Hedgehog?
The Hedgehog sensor requires installation on the monitored database server. There are many tools on the market, such as database optimization tools, that have the same requirement and are in widespread use. Hedgehog is nonintrusive and does not alter in any way the DBMS installation or configuration. Having said that, if your company indeed has such a strict policy then unfortunately you would not be able to use Hedgehog.
Features ^
Q: What is the difference between Hedgehog Enterprise and Hedgehog Standard?
The differences are clearly explained in our product comparison chart. Mostly, Hedgehog Enterprise provides more extensive and scalable management features, as well as the ability to terminate unauthorized sessions. The monitoring and detection capabilities of the two products are identical, so that there is no compromise on the fundamental security benefits.
Q: How is Hedgehog different from native DBMS features and tools?
Native DBMS tools typically work by either providing auditing (which is not done in real time), or by providing secure access control mechanisms. Hedgehog provides real time monitoring and breach prevention, which is complementary to access control mechanisms and audit logs. Additionally, Hedgehog facilitates separation of duties, a key principle of IT security policy, by allowing personnel outside the DBA circle to be alerted when a breach occurs.
Q: How is Hedgehog better than other database security monitoring solutions?
Thanks to the sensor technology that Hedgehog employs, the granularity of monitoring achieved by Hedgehog is unparalleled, with full visibility into database activity including stored procedures and access to specific objects and views. This, coupled with its virtual patching mechanism, flexible rules and resilience create a very powerful tool for protecting the database.
Q: What is Virtual Patching? How is it different from real DBMS patches, such as Oracle's CPUs?
For an explanation click here.
Q: Why does Hedgehog use a host-based sensor rather than a network-based sensor?
Sentrigo's approach to database security is that it makes sense to protect the database at close quarters – doing so from the network or at the perimeter is simply not effective enough to protect against insiders with privileged access, in cases where data-in-motion encryption is used, or to handle stored procedures and a host of other attack vectors that are only visible when monitored on the host itself.
Technical ^
Q: Does Hedgehog degrade DBMS performance? What about DBMS I/O?
Hedgehog has minimal effect on DBMS performance. It typically consumes less than 5% of a single CPU, depending on environmental variables, and since most database are installed on servers with multiple CPU, this figure decreases rapidly (on a 4 CPU machine for example, Hedgehog will consume up to 1.25% of total CPU power). Within the product itself CPU consumption is displayed in order to allow users to monitor this usage. There is absolutely no impact on database input/output or on network traffic.
Q: I heard that host-based monitoring systems degrade performance – why is it that Hedgehog does not?
The previous generation of host-based systems monitored the database by either intercepting system calls that pass between database server applications and the host operating system, accessing the input queue, or reading database logs. Hedgehog uses a different, nonintrusive method of sampling the database server's cache memory - this has a negligible effect on performance as explained above.
Q: What platforms does Hedgehog support?
Hedgehog (both versions) is currently available for Oracle 8.1.7i and newer on various platforms. See our supported configurations page for details.
Q: When will Hedgehog be available for DBMSs other than Oracle and MS SQL?
Additional major DBMS platforms will be available in 2008. If you are interested in Hedgehog availability for a specific platform/environment, please contact us.
Q: How exactly do the Hedgehog sensors work?
We cannot divulge how the sensors work exactly – this is our 'secret sauce' – however, in broad terms the sensors monitor all database activity by analyzing the database's memory operations (read/write). If you would like to read a more detailed explanation, download the Hedgehog whitepaper.
Miscellaneous ^
Q: Why are you providing a free product? How does Sentrigo plan to generate revenues?
We strongly believe that small and medium enterprises deserve the same level of security that large enterprises achieve, and we equally appreciate that larger organizations may need time to budget IT purchases while evaluating new solutions. Hedgehog Standard (our free offering) allows us to provide service to such customers rather than turn them away.
We are a commercial company and generate revenues from Hedgehog Enterprise and the added-value services (support, security updates) that we provide, as well as from additional products.
Q: Will Hedgehog Standard remain free?
Yes.
Q: Why the hedgehog?
Hedgehogs are intelligent, hard working animals and, being omnivores, are a powerful form of pest control. They are not aggressive but can certainly defend themselves with their spines – somewhat analogous to what our security software does… You can read more about hedgehogs in Wikipedia. |
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