Splunk DB Connect 1.1.4: How to make a secure connection to Oracle databases with SSL and certificates?

[abhijitmishra87]

We have successfully connected to several Oracle databases from our DBConnect app on a heavy forwarder. Now we would want to connect to the databases which have a secure listener. I would like to know how can I enable secure connections to the databases ? Where and which configuration files do we have to touch to configure the certificates and ssl ? We are currently using DBX version 1.1.4, but if the task of connecting to Oracle databases securely is better achieved with higher/other versions, we will not have problems upgrading.

[splunkIT · Accepted solution]

For DB Connect v2, this custom db connection type might work:

## db_connection_types.conf 
[oraclessl] 
displayName = Oracle SSL 
serviceClass = com.splunk.dbx2.OracleJDBC 
jdbcDriverClass = oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver 
jdbcUrlFormat = jdbc:oracle:thin:@(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcps)(HOST=<host>)(PORT=<port>))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVICE_NAME=<database>))) 
testQuery = SELECT 1 FROM DUAL 

[pmdba]

By default DBX uses JDBC Thin connections, which do not support SSL. To do what you want would require that you be using Oracle Database Enterprise Edition with the Advanced Security Option. You would need to install a full Oracle client on the heavy forwarder and configure it to connect to the database with SSL, then configure DBX to use a JDBC Thick connection through the Oracle client. If you are not running Oracle Enterprise Edition with the Advanced Security Option then there is no way to use SSL.

[abhijitmishra87]

I notice that in DBConnect 2.x, there is a new configuration stanza which seems general. Have you worked with this ?
Though, I still haven't found a way to connect my certificates.

jdbcUseSSL = true | false

• optional

• default is false, whether this type of connection will support SSL connection.

[splunkIT]

Just FYI, Oracle SSL is listed as not supported under our supported
database matrix:

http://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/DBX/2.0.4/DeployDBX/Supporteddatabases

There is already an enhancement request (DBX-496) filed for supporting Oracle SSL connection.