MongoDB is an open source database.
Classed as a NoSql database program, the document-orientated database is developed by company MongoDB Inc.
The company was first established in 2007 as 10gen, but changed its name to MongoDB in 2013 in order to associate itself more closely with its flagship product.
The MongoDB technology was created after 10gen had aimed to build a platform as a service architecture based entirely on open source components, however, it was unable to find an existing database that met its principles for a cloud architecture.
MongoDB has many features, including ad hoc queries, file storage, aggregation and server-side JavaScript execution. Another main feature is replication, whereby MongoDB provides replica sets, or copies, of data.
Why are hackers so interested in MongoDB?
A major criticism of MongoDB revolves around security, with the default security configuration allowing anyone to have full access to a database. Due to this, tens of thousands of MongoDB installations have been stolen, with many severs held to ransom by hackers.
One wave of ranomware attacks happened at the beginning of 2017, with a Rapid7 investigation revealing that a huge 50% of MongoDB servers were held captive.
