What Is Sybase Audit Trail?

An audit trail is an essential tool for tracking and recording system activities to ensure security and compliance. For databases like Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE), an audit trail helps organizations monitor sensitive data access and actions performed by users. This process enhances accountability, detects unauthorized access, and supports regulatory compliance. More details can be found in the Sybase auditing documentation.

A Sybase Audit Trail specifically records events such as user logins, data modifications, failed access attempts, and administrative commands. These records are stored securely in the sybsecurity database, ensuring the integrity and availability of audit logs.

Sybase Native Audit Trail Using Built-In Tools

Sybase offers a robust built-in auditing system, primarily managed through system procedures like sp_audit. This tool enables system administrators to configure and customize the auditing process based on specific organizational needs. You can refer to the system procedures guide for more information.

Setting Up Auditing in Sybase

Before configuring audit trails, the auditing system must be installed and enabled. The first step involves setting up the necessary audit tables within the sybsecurity database and assigning devices dedicated to storing audit trails and transaction logs.

To activate auditing, execute the following command:

sp_configure 'auditing', 1;

More on configuring Sybase can be found in this IBM documentation.

Once auditing is enabled, configure the audit options using sp_audit. For example, to monitor all login attempts, use this command:

sp_audit 'login', 'all', 'all', 'on';

Learn about best practices for database auditing in this DataSunrise guide.

Viewing Audit Logs

Audit logs can be accessed directly from the sybsecurity database with this command:

SELECT * FROM sybsecurity..sysaudits_01 WHERE event = 99;

For more information on audit logs, visit this resource.

DataSunrise as an Audit Trail Tool for Sybase

While Sybase provides solid native tools for auditing, DataSunrise enhances these capabilities with advanced features. It offers centralized management, real-time monitoring, and customizable audit settings for better handling of sensitive data. More details on DataSunrise features are available in the DataSunrise data audit overview.

Setting Up DataSunrise for Sybase

To connect Sybase with DataSunrise, start by adding a new Sybase instance through the DataSunrise interface and providing the necessary connection details such as the hostname, port, and credentials. Learn more about database integration on setting up database activity monitoring.

After establishing the connection, define specific audit rules that track events like schema changes, failed login attempts, and access to sensitive data tables. You can also filter logs based on users, applications, or event types and configure notifications for real-time alerts in case of suspicious activities. Find additional guidance on configuring audit rules.

Advantages of Using DataSunrise

DataSunrise provides centralized management of multiple Sybase instances, real-time monitoring for detecting suspicious activities, and advanced reporting tools that help generate compliance reports. Read more about audit goals on audit trail objectives.

Configuring Action Settings in DataSunrise

DataSunrise allows for the customization of logged actions, such as tracking data manipulation statements like INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE. Notifications can be set up via email or Slack to alert administrators of specific triggers. The transactional trail can be refined to filter logs by application or user, simplifying audits. You can find additional information about security threats on identifying security threats.

Conclusion

Understanding what is Sybase Audit Trail is key to securing sensitive data and ensuring regulatory compliance. Sybase’s native audit tools, including sp_audit, provide a solid foundation for tracking user activity and administrative changes.

However, for organizations requiring advanced features and streamlined management, DataSunrise offers a powerful solution. It enhances auditing through real-time monitoring, log filtering, and centralized management, ensuring sensitive data remains protected. Explore an overview of DataSunrise in the DataSunrise platform overview.

To learn more about Sybase audit trails and how DataSunrise can elevate your database security, explore this guide. You can also request a DataSunrise demo to see these features in action.