database Archives

Tech Optimizer

April 8, 2025

PostgreSQL Merges Initial Support For NUMA Awareness

The PostgreSQL open-source database server is integrating IO_uring support for asynchronous I/O operations and AVX-512 acceleration for CRC32 computations, potentially improving performance by up to three times. It has also introduced initial support for Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA) awareness, aimed at enhancing performance on multi-node and multi-socket servers. This feature is available in the PostgreSQL Git repository ahead of the PostgreSQL 18.0 release scheduled for September and can be enabled with the "--with-libnuma" configuration option, currently limited to Linux systems. Enhancements include pg_shmem_allocations_numa for shared memory allocation insights and pg_buffercache_numa for buffer information across NUMA nodes.

Tech Optimizer

April 8, 2025

Pools across the sea: how Hyperdrive speeds up access to databases and why we’re making it free

Cloudflare has made Hyperdrive available on the free plan of Cloudflare Workers, allowing developers to create high-performance global applications that connect to SQL databases. Hyperdrive simplifies database connectivity by using existing drivers and connection strings, reducing the need for extensive refactoring. It has been adopted by Cloudflare's engineering teams for various functions, demonstrating its effectiveness in addressing common challenges in application development. Hyperdrive significantly improves performance, with a benchmark showing latency reduction from 1200 ms to 500 ms when using Hyperdrive instead of a direct connection, and further to 320 ms with caching enabled. It employs transaction-mode connection pooling to efficiently manage database connections, minimizing overhead and ensuring optimal performance for serverless applications. Hyperdrive's architecture includes a split connection approach that reduces latency by conducting necessary round trips over shorter distances. It also features a regional pool strategy for selecting data centers based on the inferred location of the Worker, optimizing connection latency. The system includes a dual-layer caching strategy to enhance query performance and reduce load on the origin database. Developers can easily start using Hyperdrive by executing a simple command or using a dashboard to set up a sample Worker application with their existing Postgres database.

AppWizard

April 8, 2025

I tried gaming on Linux — and it’s better (and worse) than you think

The gaming experience on Linux, particularly with Ubuntu, has been positive, with many single-player and co-op games performing well due to compatibility tools like Wine and Steam's Proton. While most Windows games can be played on Linux, limitations exist, particularly for MMORPGs and competitive multiplayer games that rely on kernel-level anti-cheat systems, rendering titles like Fortnite and Valorant unplayable. Some competitive games do offer Linux support, but this is not guaranteed. Additionally, accessory applications for gaming peripherals often lack support on Linux, although open-source alternatives exist. As of 2025, while Linux gaming has improved, significant gaps remain, particularly in compatibility with anti-cheat systems, making it less appealing than Windows for many gamers.

Tech Optimizer

April 7, 2025

Scanguard

Scanguard is owned by Total Security LTD and offers a comprehensive security and optimization suite that includes virus protection, system performance improvements, junk file removal, a password vault, and a VPN. Its security features include real-time protection against malware, ransomware, spyware, and adware, facilitated by specialized guards. A free version is available for Windows, but it has limitations regarding update speed. The initial scan on a 512 GB SSD takes under five minutes and covers various checks. The app prompts users to upgrade for certain features, although discounts are available for first-time users. Core features include Malware Guard, Ransomware Guard, Spyware Guard, Aware Guard, and WebShield for real-time protection against malicious sites. Scanguard also offers identity theft protection services and a system optimizer that cleans junk files and manages applications. An Android app is available, but there is no iPhone app, and the Android version must be downloaded from the Scanguard website. Scanguard's pricing includes a free version and a paid plan with a promotional rate for the first year, with payment through PayPal. The paid plan offers real-time protection, cloud-based threat detection, and customer support. Recent evaluations show a detection rate of 96.94% in a VB100 test, with a 0.000% false alarm rate, but it is not currently VB100 certified. The user interface is modern and intuitive, though the installation process may take time due to database updates.

Tech Optimizer

April 3, 2025

1,500+ PostgreSQL Servers Compromised With Fileless Malware Attack

A cryptojacking campaign has targeted over 1,500 organizations by exploiting inadequately secured PostgreSQL database servers. The attackers, identified as JINX-0126, use advanced techniques including credential brute-forcing and fileless execution to deploy Monero (XMR)-mining malware. Approximately 30% of cloud-hosted PostgreSQL servers are affected due to weak or default credentials. The attackers execute commands using PostgreSQL’s COPY FROM PROGRAM function, bypassing standard detection mechanisms. They have been linked to three cryptocurrency wallets with around 550 active mining workers, generating a hashrate of 4.04 GH/s and approximately €10.40 per hour in XMR revenue. The attack begins with credential spraying against default accounts, followed by an SQL injection to fetch the payload. The malware operates in memory, modifies PostgreSQL’s configuration to maintain persistence, and creates cron jobs for reactivation. The campaign reveals significant security gaps in cloud environments, with recommendations for improved access controls and monitoring.

Tech Optimizer

April 2, 2025

Amazon RDS Proxy announces TLS 1.3 support for PostgreSQL on Aurora and RDS

Amazon RDS Proxy now supports TLS 1.3 for connections to Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL and RDS for PostgreSQL database instances, enhancing security with stronger cryptographic algorithms and a streamlined handshake process. The Proxy automatically negotiates the highest security level during connection setup and can be configured to enforce TLS 1.3 exclusively. TLS 1.3 support is also available for RDS Proxy for MySQL engines. RDS Proxy is a fully managed database proxy that improves performance, reliability, scalability, and security for RDS and Amazon Aurora databases.

Tech Optimizer

April 2, 2025

Over 1,500 PostgreSQL Servers Hit by Fileless Malware Attack

A malware campaign has compromised over 1,500 PostgreSQL servers using fileless techniques to deploy cryptomining payloads. The attack, linked to the threat actor group JINX-0126, exploits publicly exposed PostgreSQL instances with weak or default credentials. The attackers utilize advanced evasion tactics, including unique hashes for binaries and fileless execution of the miner payload, making detection difficult. They exploit PostgreSQL’s COPY ... FROM PROGRAM function to execute malicious payloads and perform system discovery commands. The malware includes a binary named “postmaster,” which mimics legitimate processes, and a secondary binary named “cpu_hu” for cryptomining operations. Nearly 90% of cloud environments host PostgreSQL databases, with about one-third being publicly exposed, providing easy entry points for attackers. Each wallet associated with the campaign had around 550 active mining workers, indicating the extensive scale of the attack. Organizations are advised to implement strong security configurations to protect their PostgreSQL instances.

Tech Optimizer

April 2, 2025

Thousands of PostgreSQL servers are being hijacked to mine crypto

Researchers at Wiz have identified a cryptojacking campaign by a group called JINX-0126, targeting over 1,500 misconfigured PostgreSQL servers by exploiting weak login credentials. The attackers deploy the XMRig-C3 miner to mine Monero, consuming nearly all computing resources and increasing electricity usage for victims. Each compromised device is assigned a unique mining worker for tracking. The campaign has evolved to include defensive measures and fileless deployment to evade detection. Nearly 90% of cloud environments host PostgreSQL instances, with about one-third publicly accessible, highlighting security vulnerabilities.

Tech Optimizer

April 2, 2025

Improve PostgreSQL performance using the pgstattuple extension

PostgreSQL is an open-source relational database management system known for its extensibility, which allows developers to enhance its capabilities through various extensions and plugins. The pgstattuple extension provides detailed statistics at the tuple level from PostgreSQL tables and indexes, revealing key metrics such as the number of live tuples, dead tuples, average length of live tuples, total free space, and percentages of free space and dead tuples. These metrics help database administrators identify potential health and performance issues, such as excessive table bloat or index fragmentation. Both Amazon Aurora and Amazon RDS support the pgstattuple extension, which can be activated using the command CREATE EXTENSION pgstattuple;. Functions like pgstattuple(relation) and pgstatindex(index) can be used to analyze physical storage and index statistics. Bloat occurs when unused space is left behind after UPDATE and DELETE operations, and the autovacuum process in PostgreSQL automates the cleanup of dead tuples. However, if autovacuum fails, manual intervention may be necessary. Regular monitoring of bloat is essential for maintaining performance, and metrics from pgstattuple can help optimize autovacuum settings. The pg_cron extension can automate VACUUM operations to manage bloat proactively. Index bloat can also be detected using pgstatindex, and significantly bloated indexes can be rebuilt using REINDEX or pg_repack. Best practices for using pgstattuple include estimating bloat with check_postgres, analyzing physical storage, monitoring dead_tuple_percent, and avoiding interference on highly active tables.

Tech Optimizer

April 2, 2025

Ongoing cryptomining campaign hits over 1.5K PostgreSQL servers

Over 1,500 PostgreSQL instances exposed to the internet have been targeted by a cryptocurrency mining malware campaign called JINX-0126. Attackers exploit weak credentials to access PostgreSQL servers and use the "COPY ... FROM PROGRAM SQL" command for arbitrary command execution. They deploy a shell script to terminate existing cryptominers and deliver the pg_core binary. A Golang binary, disguised as the PostgreSQL multi-user database server, is then downloaded to establish persistence and escalate privileges, leading to the execution of the latest XMRig cryptominer variant. JINX-0126 employs advanced tactics, including unique hashes for binaries and fileless miner payload execution, to evade detection by cloud workload protection platforms.