What aspect of database monitoring should a database administrator focus on to detect unauthorized access?

What aspect of database monitoring should a database administrator focus on to detect unauthorized access?

• A. Query performance
• B. Failed connections
• C. Data redundancy
• D. Index usage

Answer: (B)

A database administrator should prioritize monitoring failed connections as a means of detecting unauthorized access. Failed connections can indicate attempts to access the database with incorrect credentials or unauthorized attempts to breach security controls. By analyzing logs of failed connection attempts, administrators can identify patterns that may suggest hacking attempts or other malicious activity, allowing them to take proactive security measures to protect sensitive data.

In contrast, while query performance, data redundancy, and index usage are important metrics for overall database management and optimization, they do not directly relate to the detection of unauthorized access. Monitoring query performance focuses on the efficiency and speed of database queries, ensuring optimal resource use. Data redundancy deals with ensuring that data is stored efficiently and without unnecessary duplication. Index usage pertains to how effectively indexes are utilized to improve query performance. Although these factors are critical for database health, they do not provide insights into the security of the database concerning unauthorized access attempts.