Python in a hospital application please help

[Graham Ashton]

In article <9sk4hq$2hcg$1 at norfair.nerim.net>, "Gillou"
<nospam at bigfoot.com> wrote:

> You can compile python with SSL support for security but dunno if your
> app can connect to the database through SSL (not a pythonic issue).

The way forward here may well be to run the database server and the Python
server on the same host and disable network connections to the db. It's
simple and not very scalable, but with security simplicity is a good thing.

> If your application (clients + server) are in a firewalled Intranet, you
> don't need more than classical user/password security.

What gives you that idea? 90% of security problems are caused by people
who are already inside the firewall (i.e. staff). In a hospital you can
have all sorts of people wandering around, and you don't want to take
chances with people's medical data.

With security, don't ever say "that's enough". It's not. Add more if it
won't cost you anything. I'd implement a specific firewall on the database
server if it was my problem. It's best practice, and you may one day find
yourself in the unfortunate situation of needing to demonstrate that you'd
taken all reasonable steps to protect the data.

> Encryption should not add sensitive security to your data.

What do you mean by this?

As for the Object-Relational mapper, have a look at PyDO:

  http://skunkweb.sourceforge.net/PyDO/

-- 
Graham