Size of SQL Database and Cyber Security

[KC Riley]

I had a recent conversation with a web developer in the US. He made a claim that it's not safe for a forum to maintain too large an SQL database. They have encouraged several forum owners to reduce their post counts to keep the database under 5 GB.

I've worked on massive forums with 100 thousand plus members and 2 million posts. The SQL database size for those forums were around 12 -15 GB. The SQL databases were also maintained with great care and by an SQL expert.

Is there any truth to what this web developer is saying? Are you really causing a potential security issues for your site by maintaining a database greater than 5 GB?

 

[Snog]

It's a bunch of malarkey. There is no correlation between database size and database security. At least none I've ever heard of in 30+ years of working with databases.

I would be asking for more information to back up the claim.

 

[Chris D]

Can't say I've heard that before either. The only thing I can think of is the larger your database is the more potentially sensitive data there is for an attacker to get hold of? Or if the application isn't very secure, a wider scope for malicious code to be injected? I tend to agree with Snog's comments. I don't see the correlation.

 

[duderuud]

What a bunch of BS....size doesn't matter, it's the content that's security sensitive or not.

Our current db is 60gb in size (forum with 28mln posts) and to date no security issues (knocks wood)..

 

[KC Riley]

It seems very bizarre to me too. I would only think a larger database would require more maintenance to keep it optimized.

I can't see anyway the size of the database would impact security of the site.

I can't see a reason why you would need to prune a database. You only end-up offending members who took time out of their busy days to write a post for you.