Which maintenance process is crucial for a small business experiencing increased website traffic to maintain database security?

• A. Performance tuning
• B. System updates
• C. Security and maintenance patches
• D. Implementing a well-planned upgrade process

Answer: (C)

Choosing security and maintenance patches is essential for ensuring that a small business’s database remains secure, especially as website traffic increases. When a business experiences higher traffic, it becomes a more attractive target for cyber threats. Security patches are updates that address vulnerabilities found in the software, protecting against exploits that could compromise sensitive data or halt operations.

Regularly applying these patches mitigates risks from newly discovered vulnerabilities, thus maintaining the integrity of the database and the overall security posture of the organization. This proactive approach to security helps to ensure that the database remains resistant to attacks that may arise due to the increased visibility and usage from rising website traffic.

While performance tuning, system updates, and a planned upgrade process are important for maintaining overall system efficiency and reliability, they do not directly address vulnerabilities in the same way that security and maintenance patches do. In the context of handling increased website traffic, reinforcing security through diligent patch management is especially critical to safeguarding against potential threats.