Handling client information on database

Question

I have an escenario i would like to discuss.

If i had a web app shared by several clients, everyone with their own database. In some time a client will report an error. How would it be the best way to handle this data?. Because im thinking on security implications that implies downloading a backup from clients and give to one developer to troubleshoot the erros.

But need this data in a real environment to reproduce the error. Any Ideas? Taking on consideration security implications that means the developer having access to all clients data.

Answer 1

Please have the client reproduce the error in their DEV environment and share the copy of the DEV database file with you. Your developers could then work with the data on the issue.

Kindly ensure the data being asked to share is not PCI or PII and in accordance to CPNA (if the client is US based)

Answer 2

that depends on the problem.

Usually the inserted, updated or deleted data have some kings that you can reproduce with a dummy database, with only one or two rows in each table and you have try to reproduce the error.

If you have good error logging feature, that saves in an text file or sqlite all relevant information like where the problem occurred and what was the cause. it will save you a lot of trouble.

If you need the database:

you restore the backup and replace all sensitive data with an UPDATE command and see if the error still occurs, before you pass the data on .

For that you can in advance write those update commands.

Some databases can encrypt also columns or obfuscate them, so you should see of your databse supports that and you can use it on the restored data.