McAfee launches free MySQL database security tool

McAfee has launched a free security tool designed to help businesses monitor and manage MySQL database deployments.

McAfee said that the free tool will allow companies to audit their databases to spot possible security and compliance concerns.

In addition to offering the tool free of charge, McAfee plans to offer the audit plug-in as an open-source software release.

The tool is targeted at small and medium-sized businesses, but McAfee said it could also be used by larger enterprises as part of their audit platforms.

"McAfee developed the free database audit plug-in to give the community of MySQL users a means of building enterprise-level database security around their databases,” said Dan Sarel, McAfee vice president of database security product management.

"When coupled with the McAfee Database Activity Monitoring sensor for MySQL, the data is subject to the same real-time analysis and policy enforcement as the data collected from other supported databases."

The tool aims to patch a glaring hole in many companies' web applications and platforms.

SQL injection vulnerabilities have been increasingly popular targets for attackers and hacktivists looking to steal corporate data and customer information.

High-profile incidents such as the 2011 attacks on Sony and January's T-Mobile breach were believed to have been performed with the aid of SQL injection exploits.