One might assume that the large cloud providers – the hyperscalers like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google – have SQL security fully figured out. While they do offer managed cloud database services with built-in security features, they have notable shortcomings when it comes to supporting on-premises or hybrid SQL deployments.
Their priority is clear: drive adoption of their cloud. As a result, tooling and support for customers' self-hosted databases have lagged or even been deprecated.
Take Microsoft SQL Server, a staple of on-prem enterprise environments. Microsoft used to provide the Best Practices Analyzer (BPA), a database activity monitoring tool that scanned SQL Server configurations and identified deviations from recommended settings. However, Microsoft has not released an updated BPA for the latest SQL Server versions – effectively abandoning it.
Microsoft's focus has shifted to cloud-centric tools such as Azure's SQL Vulnerability Assessment, which don't always translate well to on-prem needs. This deprecation is emblematic of a broader trend: hyperscalers are moving away from investing in on-site database security tools.
Beyond tooling, there's a matter of philosophy: Hyperscalers often treat transparency and user control as secondary to convenience. Many companies want fine-grained control over their database environments and insight into every configuration, something you sacrifice when you fully hand over management to a cloud provider.
Relying entirely on American cloud infrastructure is no longer just a technical or financial choice – it's a geopolitical risk. Global tensions are rising, political alliances are shifting. In this environment, placing your critical data assets under the jurisdiction of one foreign power introduces real strategic uncertainty.
DB24's platform brings together continuous monitoring, intelligent analysis, and even a bit of gamification to drive better SQL security outcomes.
DB24 tracks over 114 parameters across your SQL Server instances, covering security settings, configuration options, and maintenance routines.
Aggregated Instance Quality (AiQ). Every SQL server gets a comprehensive scan with a risk rating from 0 to 10, giving teams an immediate sense of where problems lie.
DBAs can see their risk scores improve as they remediate issues, turning compliance into a challenge that drives continuous improvement.
Intelligent advisor that understands your environment and correlates events to provide high-priority alerts.
Securing SQL Server environments is a complex undertaking, in part because of the myriad configuration options that can inadvertently open security holes or degrade protections. Many breaches and incidents don't stem from zero-day vulnerabilities, but rather from misconfigurations and neglected best practices. Below are some of the most dangerous issues that commonly lurk in enterprise SQL environments that DB24's database activity monitoring tools help you identify.
These aren't the usual suspects. They're the edge-case misconfigs — rare, but dangerous. The kind of settings most teams overlook, yet attackers love. If you're not actively checking for them, you're flying blind.
Familiar doesn't mean safe. These settings show up in almost every environment, often left on by default or tweaked without much thought. They're low-risk on paper, but over time they create cracks attackers can squeeze through. It's death by a thousand misconfigs – avoidable, but only if you're paying attention.
The shortcomings of proper database activity monitoring show up in real-world outcomes. In a recent survey of 355 companies conducted by us, not a single one had 100% or even near of SQL best practices in place across their environments. This striking statistic underscores how widespread the gaps are – even with many organizations using vendor guidelines, none had achieved full adherence.
It's clear that relying on built-in tools or cloud-centric guidance has left a gap in on-prem SQL security. When even well-staffed enterprises struggle to implement all best practices, it's a sign that the ecosystem isn't providing the necessary support for proper database activity monitoring. Here are our most important insights to keep in mind going forward:
Don't let hyperscalers force you into something. Cloud-first doesn't mean cloud-only. Many companies are choosing on-prem or hybrid setups for control, compliance, or cost reasons. But big cloud vendors have abandoned the tools and support for securing those environments – leaving you exposed unless you find alternatives.
Don't trust legacy database activity monitoring tools. Old tools are not built for today's dynamic environments, and they don't provide the depth, context, or continuous oversight needed to catch modern threats or misconfigs.
DIY costs more than it seems. Manual checklists and scripts demand constant upkeep and pull DBAs away from high-value work.
Security must be continuous, not periodic. Manual audits miss things and can't keep up with fast-changing environments.
Automation is essential (for both cost and security reasons). A good tool monitors 24/7, catches subtle misconfigurations instantly, and scales across dozens or hundreds of servers.
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