Introduction by:
Kaberi Nayak and Vivek Puri
OAUG Customer Support Council Chair and Co-Chair
The OAUG Customer Support Council meets regularly with employees and leaders from the Oracle Support organization to trade information – challenges or concerns our members share as wells as information and useful tools developed by Oracle Support. We're pleased to share the article that follows, compliments of Oracle Support. If data breaches and cybersecurity attacks are topics that cause you to lose sleep, read on for access to Oracle resources that can help put your mind at ease.
Cybercrime is real. By 2021, estimates say the annual worldwide cost for cybercrime damages will reach $6 trillion. [1] 65% of organizations say their in-house security capabilities are adequate —yet 80% have been negatively affected by a cybersecurity attack in the last year. [2]
The average cost of a data breach in 2016 was $3.6 million. [3] Many businesses never recover from the fallout. They face exposure of sensitive, proprietary information; operational disruption; system and file restoration; and fines and litigation. It may be more difficult to overcome the damage to their reputation and brand and the loss of their customers' and employees' trust.
Governments See Growing Threat
The E.U. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides a single set of rules to enhance data privacy and guarantee the security of personal data and data processing that will be enforceable May 25, 2018. Noncompliance or violation can lead to heavy fines.
"The aim of the GDPR is to protect all EU citizens from privacy and data breaches in an increasingly data-driven world that is vastly different from the time in which the 1995 directive was established."
- EUGDPR.org
Don't Put Your Investment at Risk. Secure Oracle Software with Oracle Support
Security patching is essential for securing enterprise software, including Oracle's. If you can't access the source code, you can't develop security patches for it. That leaves your software open to attack and your business open to risk.
"It is necessary for all organizations to establish a strong ongoing patch management process to ensure the proper preventive measures are taken against potential threats."
- United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Oracle Support is the best way to legally receive mission-critical security updates and protection for your Oracle software. Oracle creates and owns the source code and can identify and address vulnerabilities and emerging threats in the source code.
Oracle Software Security Assurance (OSSA) is Oracle's methodology for building security into the design, build, testing, and maintenance of its products. Oracle's goal is to ensure that the products are helping customers meet their security requirements while providing for the most cost-effective ownership experience.
Oracle provides reliable security updates to the source code with security at every level—in every layer of the software stack and with regression testing across the full stack. Oracle has the tools, experience, and knowledge to provide proactive change management processes, a uniform release management process, and ongoing and unparalleled innovation.
Predictable Critical Patch Updates
The Critical Patch Update (CPU) is the primary mechanism for the backport of all security bug fixes for all Oracle products. Critical Patch Updates are released quarterly. Oracle issues Security alerts for vulnerability fixes deemed too critical to wait for distribution in the next CPU. Information about all previously released Security Alerts and Critical Patch Updates, along with the links to download security patches, is posted on the Security Alerts and Critical Patch Updates page.
The release frequency for issuing the CPUs (quarterly) and the predictability of the CPU releases (fixed schedule) allow Oracle customers to develop recommendations for leveraging the Critical Patch Update and maintaining a proper security posture and a repeatable and costeffective process for patching their Oracle systems.
Stay on top of the evolving security landscape by subscribing to security notifications from Oracle. You will receive an e¬mail reminder at the time of the publication of each CPU. Premier Support Oracle Premier Support customers will also see a message about the availability of the CPU when they log onto the My Oracle Support portal.
Simplified Product Patch Management
Patch updates are cumulative for many Oracle products. This provides customers the ability to quickly "catch up" to the current security release level, since the application of the latest cumulative CPU resolves all previously addressed vulnerabilities.
In the next installment, we will look at the Oracle Premier Support resources available through My Oracle Support and specific tools for patching.
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