In the digital age, securing databases is paramount which is especially for organizations storing sensitive information. MongoDB a popular NoSQL database requires robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access and potential breaches.

In this article, We will learn about the need for a secure database and different ways in which we can secure the MongoDB database.

Need for a Secure Database

• Security is very important in databases like MongoDB so that the sensitive information that an organization stores in mongoDB is protected from unauthorized access. Any data breaches in databases can lead to a huge loss for the organization using the database as it is used to store all the sensitive information about their users and the organizations.
• The most basic way to protect the data we store in MongoDB is to limit network exposure. Limiting network exposure means restricting the ways through which a network can be assessed so that the possibility of a potential attack is reduced and also through this practice the network or system accessibility is reduced.

Different Ways to Secure MongoDB

1. Changing Default Port

Changing default port allows us to prevent our database from being attacked from automated attacks which can be done on the already known ports. MongoDB uses port 27017 as its default port and is commonly targeted by automated attackers, changing this port adds a layer of security for our database as it makes it harder for attackers to identify the port which MongoDB is using.

How can We Change the MongoDB Port?

• Step 1 Find the configuration File: MongoDB uses a configuration file known as ‘mongod.conf‘. This is the file which contains all the settings for the mongoDB server. Use a text editor to open the ‘mongod.conf’.
• Step 2 Locating the “net” section: Inside the ‘mongod.conf’ file we will find a “net” section.If the “net” section is not present you can add it manually.
• Step 3 Changing the port number: Inside the “net” section, there will be a line which would be mentioning the port as 27017 {‘port : 27017’} which is the default port. Change this port number to the port number of our choice.
• Step 4 Saving the changes: Save all changes that are made and to apply them restart the MongoDB service. we can restart our MongoDB server using the below command for Linux.

Command:

`sudo service mongod restart`

Explanation: We should never use changing default port as the only way to secure mongoDB as it is not safe to use it alone, but we can use it as a added measure to make the mongoDB more secure.

2. Restrict listen Interface(-s)

• Restricting the listen interface for MongoDB, helps in controlling which networks interface the MongoDB server is accessible from. This is a security measure which can sometime means that we can select where the mongoDB server would be able to work.
• For example, if we bind the MongoDB to localhost it means that the database will only be accessible from the local machine.
• This would help us to reduce the potential attacks and reduce the risk of unauthorized access from any external network and helps to prevent the database.
• To implement this we can use the ‘mongod‘ command as shown below:

Command:

mongod --bind_ip localhost

Explanation: Through this only MongoDB will only be able to communicate to localhost, stopping it from connecting from external networks.

If we want some other IP address to be able to communicate with the MongoDB along with the localhost we can use the below command.

Command:

mongod --bind_ip localhost, ip address

3. Use of SSH Port Forwarding

• SSH port forwarding helps in providing security to the communication between the client and server by tunneling traffic through an encrypted SSH connection.
• It makes a secure connection from a remote machine to MongoDB server without exposing the database port.

4. Use of SSH Reverse Tunneling

• This method is useful when a MongoDB server is behind a firewall, and it should be accessed securely from a remote location.
• It is used to establish a secure connection from a remote server to the client.

5. Connect from a Bastion Host

• A bastion host also known as the jump host is an intermediary server that acts as a secure gateway to access other servers, including the MongoDB server.
• Connecting the MongoDB through a bastion host enhances the level of security by limiting the direct access and hence protects the database.

The command we need to write to use bastion host is given below.

Command:

ssh -J bastion-host user@mongodb-server

Explanation:

• ssh: This is the command line tool used for secure shell access.
• -J bastion-host: This part of the command specifies the jump host through which the SSH connection will be forwarded. You should provide the IP address or the hostname of the bastion host after the `-J` option.
• user@mongob-server: Here you will provide the username and hostname or the IP address of the MongoDB server to which you want to connect.

8. Enabling TLS and SSL Encryption System

• Enabling TLS and SSL encryption system method for securing the communication between any two endpoints.
• The encryption is a valid option for restriction the network access for MongoDB.
• We can also encrypt the communication between the two end points client and the MongoDB server using SSL and TLS.

Implementation of Authentication

It is a way where the user can ensure that only the specified users have access to the database. Some methods are:

1. SCRAM-SHA-256

• It stands for Salted Challenge Response Authentication Mechanism by SHA-256.It is challenging response for authentication mechanism which takes advantage of both user credentials and the server generated challenges for authenticating the user.
• For enabling the SCRAM-SHA-256 authentication in MongoDB, we need to create the accounts with valid username and password and configuring the MongoDB server for taking the advantage of SCRAM-SHA-256 as the mechanism for authentication.
• User has to create an account with username and password.
• When we connect to the MongoDB we need to provide the username and password in the connection string.

2. X.509 Certificate Authentication

• It authenticate the SSL and TLS client certificates for authentication.
• We need to configure the server for using the SSL and TLS and which specify the paths to servers certificate and key files.

3. Use X.509 Server Authentication

• SSL/TLS certificate authentication is used in X.509 server authentication to authenticate the MongoDB server.
• It enhances the security of communication as it ensures that the clients connecting to the server can verify its identity.

4. Use X.509 Client Authentication

• Usage of the X.509 authentication adds an extra layer of security by ensuring that only authorized clients can connect.
• It requires that clients should present a valid SSL/TLS certificate to authenticate themselves to the MongoDB server.

5. Use X.509 Member Authentication

• In MongoDB sharded clusters need to authenticate every member, X.509 member authentication involves configuring each member with a certificate to authenticate itself within the cluster.
• This authentication step helps establish trust between cluster members.

6. Restrict Member Source IPs

• In a MongoDB cluster, we can restrict the source IPs from which members can connect.
• This helps in adding an additional layer of security as it allows only trusted sources to communicate.

7. Use of Role-Based Access Control

• Role Based Access Control (RBAC) involves creating roles with particular permissions and designating user to these roles.
• By improving the level of access control, it helps in limiting access to database collections and operations based on user roles.

MongoDB Security Checklist & Best Practices

1. Create Separate Security Credentials

• Ensure each user and application accessing MongoDB has unique credentials.
• This reduces the risk of widespread access if credentials are compromised.
• Regularly update passwords and enforce strong password policies to enhance security.

2. Use Role-Based Access Control

• Implement RBAC to assign specific permissions to different roles, granting users only the access they need.
• This minimizes the risk of unauthorized actions and simplifies the management of permissions.

3. Limit Connections to the Database

• Restrict access to your MongoDB instances to only trusted IP addresses or networks.
• Use firewall rules, VPC settings and IP whitelisting to limit connections reducing the attack surface.

4. Encrypt Your Data

• Enable encryption for data at rest to protect your data from unauthorized access and breaches.
• Use MongoDB’s built-in encryption features to ensure that data stored on disk is secure.

5. Add Extra Encryption for Sensitive Data

• For highly sensitive data, implement additional encryption layers beyond the default encryption.
• Use application-level encryption to further secure sensitive information before it reaches the database.

6. Auditing and Logs

• Enable auditing and logging to track access and changes to your MongoDB instances.
• Regularly review logs to detect suspicious activities and ensure compliance with security policies.

7. Community Edition or Enterprise Server?

• Choose between MongoDB Community Edition and Enterprise Server based on your security needs.
• The Enterprise Server offers advanced security features like LDAP integration, Kerberos authentication and auditing which are essential for high-security environments.

Conclusion

Overall, Securing MongoDB is crucial for protecting sensitive data and maintaining operational integrity. By implementing best practices such as network restriction, encryption, and strong authentication, organizations can significantly reduce security risks. Following to these measures ensures the resilience and reliability of MongoDB deployments.