In my latest SOUG Espresso session, Easy Audit Data Analysis with SQL Developer Reports, I focused on Oracle Unified Audit Analysis. This was an opportunity to share my experience and insights into database security and audit data workflow enhancement.

Event Highlights

Based on my considerable experience with Oracle databases, I emphasized the critical importance of analyzing audit events to uncover security risks and refine audit policies. In my presentation, I introduced both SQL scripts and SQL Developer Reports developed for simple ad hoc analysis of the Unified Audit Trail.

Key Takeaways

• Audit Configuration: I discussed the significance of setting up policies, storage, and jobs correctly.
• SQL*Plus Reporting: I showcased various scripts, which attendees can download from my GitHub, for auditing data analysis directly from the command line.
• SQL Developer Reporting: I demonstrated using SQL Developer for more interactive and graphical analysis.
• Best Practices: The session highlighted essential practices like least privilege, dedicated user and role concepts, and proper data retention.

Discussion and Feedback

Although the event was rich in information, the time for our discussion was unfortunately limited, indicating the need for further discussions at the next SOUG day. The session was well attended by participants from within and outside the SOUG community.

Further Resources and Next Steps

For those who want to dive deeper into Oracle Unified Audit Data Analysis, I’ve compiled a list of valuable resources:

• My blog post about SQLPlus scripts: I have written an in-depth blog post titled SQL Toolbox for Simplified Oracle Unified Audit Data Analysis. This post provides insights into using SQLPlus to analyze audit data. Read the blog post here.
• SQL Developer Audit Analysis: Another blog post of mine, Easy Audit Data Analysis with SQL Developer Reports, is about using SQL Developer for this purpose. It’s a guide to using the power of SQL Developer for audit analysis. Read the blog post here.
• The slides: To get an overview of the session, you can download the slides of the event. They summarize the key points and methods that were discussed. Download the slides here.
• GitHub repository: All the scripts that were discussed in the session are available in my GitHub repository. They are handy tools that you can use for your audit data analysis. Access the scripts on GitHub.
• Oracle documentation: For official guidelines and deeper technical insights, I recommend the Oracle documentation on Unified Audit Data Analysis. It is an excellent resource for understanding the basics and advanced concepts. Visit the official documentation from Oracle or the whitepaper Oracle Database Unified Audit: Best Practice Guidelines.