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    How to Secure MongoDB

    Step-by-step guide to securing your MongoDB database and protecting your data.

    MongoDB Security History

    MongoDB has a history of exposed instances due to default configurations. Thousands of databases have been compromised. Always enable authentication and restrict network access.

    Security Checklist

    1

    Enable authentication

    Critical

    Never run MongoDB without authentication. Configure user credentials.

    2

    Configure network access

    Critical

    Restrict IP access to only trusted sources. Never expose MongoDB to the internet without protection.

    3

    Enable TLS/SSL

    Critical

    Configure encrypted connections for all database traffic.

    4

    Use role-based access control

    Critical

    Create specific roles with minimal necessary permissions.

    5

    Prevent NoSQL injection

    Critical

    Validate and sanitize all user inputs before queries.

    6

    Enable MongoDB Atlas security

    Critical

    If using Atlas, enable all available security features.

    7

    Configure audit logging

    Enable database activity logging for security monitoring.

    8

    Enable encryption at rest

    Configure encryption for stored data.

    9

    Review connection strings

    Ensure connection strings are stored securely.

    10

    Set up backups

    Configure automated backups with encryption.

    11

    Review field-level encryption

    Consider client-side field-level encryption for sensitive data.

    12

    Configure query timeouts

    Set appropriate timeouts to prevent resource exhaustion.

    13

    Review index usage

    Ensure indexes don't expose sensitive data patterns.

    14

    Enable query analysis

    Monitor for suspicious query patterns.

    15

    Configure cluster security

    For replica sets, secure inter-node communication.

    16

    Review alerting

    Set up alerts for security-relevant events.

    17

    Run security scan

    Use VibeEval to scan your application.

    Related Resources

    Is MongoDB Safe?

    In-depth security analysis.

    MongoDB Checklist

    Interactive security checklist.

    Automate Your Security Checks

    Let VibeEval scan your application for database security issues.

    Scan Your App