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Oracle patches are coming (not that DBAs care)

Oracle has another batch of quarterly patches coming, but it's unlikely that database administrators will give a hoot.That's the primary takeaway from a survey by Sentrigo, a security software firm focused on databases.
Written by Larry Dignan, Contributor

Oracle has another batch of quarterly patches coming, but it's unlikely that database administrators will give a hoot.

That's the primary takeaway from a survey by Sentrigo, a security software firm focused on databases. Sentrigo is best known for its Hedgehog software.

According to Sentrigo's rolling survey of Oracle Users Group meetings one in 10 DBAs regularly apply critical Oracle patches. Meanwhile, two-thirds of Oracle DBAs have never applied critical Oracle patch updates.  In other words, no one gives a rat's tail about Oracle's latest batch of patches on deck.

The survey is based on a limited sample--305 Oracle users amid thousands of database customers--but the findings are worrisome (not to mention timely). Would it kill DBAs to apply quarterly patches? Apparently.

The big issue: If these survey results are even half on target that means there are a lot of unsecured databases out there. And given the database is the biggest honey pot out there Sentrigo's findings may flag problems ahead.

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