Oracle Database:Default accounts

Status
WIP 14/11/2008

Overview
Oracle default accounts can be created for many different reasons. They are created by Oracle itself when the database is created. For instance the accounts SYS and SYSTEM, DBSNMP and OUTLN are often created by default when a database is created. If the database is created by using the wizard the problem can be much bigger with 10s 0r 20s of accounts being created simply as part of the database creation. Further default accounts can be created after the initial database creation by running scripts that live in the $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin or other directories. These scripts can be run to add an additional feature or function or to add example code to the database (You never do this is production do you?). Further Oracle default users can be created when third party software is installed for use such as BAAN or SAP. The same issues of default users being added to the database can occur when third party development or maintenance tools are added such as TOAD or PL/SQL Developer. Problems can also occur when employees run examples from books, or documentation (official and non-official), books or web sites.

Resources

 * [1] Pete Finnigan's default password MS Excel sheet