Azure SQL Database must produce audit records of its enforcement of access restrictions associated with changes to the configuration of Azure SQL Database(s).

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-255345	ASQL-00-011800	SV-255345r998239_rule		Medium

Description
Without auditing the enforcement of access restrictions against changes to configuration, it would be difficult to identify attempted attacks and an audit trail would not be available for forensic investigation for after-the-fact actions. Enforcement actions are the methods or mechanisms used to prevent unauthorized changes to configuration settings. Enforcement action methods may be as simple as denying access to a file based on the application of file permissions (access restriction). Audit items may consist of lists of actions blocked by access restrictions or changes identified after the fact.

Description

Without auditing the enforcement of access restrictions against changes to configuration, it would be difficult to identify attempted attacks and an audit trail would not be available for forensic investigation for after-the-fact actions. Enforcement actions are the methods or mechanisms used to prevent unauthorized changes to configuration settings. Enforcement action methods may be as simple as denying access to a file based on the application of file permissions (access restriction). Audit items may consist of lists of actions blocked by access restrictions or changes identified after the fact.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Azure SQL Database Security Technical Implementation Guide	2024-06-10

Details

Check Text ( C-59018r871159_chk )
Review Azure SQL Database configuration to verify that audit records are produced when denied actions occur. To determine if an audit is configured, execute the following script. Run this TSQL command to determine if SQL Auditing AuditActionGroups are configured: SELECT DISTINCT sd.audit_action_name FROM sys.database_audit_specification_details sd JOIN sys.database_audit_specifications s ON s.database_specification_id = sd.database_specification_id WHERE (name = 'SqlDbAuditing_ServerAuditSpec' /Server Audit/ OR name = 'SqlDbAuditing_AuditSpec') /Database Audit/ AND s.is_state_enabled = 1 ORDER BY sd.audit_action_name If no values exist for AuditActionGroup, this is a finding. Verify the following AuditActionGroup(s) are configured: APPLICATION_ROLE_CHANGE_PASSWORD_GROUP BACKUP_RESTORE_GROUP DATABASE_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP DATABASE_OBJECT_OWNERSHIP_CHANGE_GROUP DATABASE_OBJECT_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP DATABASE_OPERATION_GROUP DATABASE_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP DATABASE_PRINCIPAL_CHANGE_GROUP DATABASE_PRINCIPAL_IMPERSONATION_GROUP DATABASE_ROLE_MEMBER_CHANGE_GROUP DBCC_GROUP SCHEMA_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP SCHEMA_OBJECT_OWNERSHIP_CHANGE_GROUP SCHEMA_OBJECT_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP If any listed AuditActionGroups do not exist in the configuration, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-59018r871159_chk )

Review Azure SQL Database configuration to verify that audit records are produced when denied actions occur.

To determine if an audit is configured, execute the following script.
Run this TSQL command to determine if SQL Auditing AuditActionGroups are configured:
SELECT DISTINCT sd.audit_action_name
FROM sys.database_audit_specification_details sd
JOIN sys.database_audit_specifications s
ON s.database_specification_id = sd.database_specification_id
WHERE (name = 'SqlDbAuditing_ServerAuditSpec' /*Server Audit*/
OR name = 'SqlDbAuditing_AuditSpec') /*Database Audit*/
AND s.is_state_enabled = 1
ORDER BY sd.audit_action_name

If no values exist for AuditActionGroup, this is a finding.

Verify the following AuditActionGroup(s) are configured:
APPLICATION_ROLE_CHANGE_PASSWORD_GROUP
BACKUP_RESTORE_GROUP
DATABASE_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP
DATABASE_OBJECT_OWNERSHIP_CHANGE_GROUP
DATABASE_OBJECT_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP
DATABASE_OPERATION_GROUP
DATABASE_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP
DATABASE_PRINCIPAL_CHANGE_GROUP
DATABASE_PRINCIPAL_IMPERSONATION_GROUP
DATABASE_ROLE_MEMBER_CHANGE_GROUP
DBCC_GROUP
SCHEMA_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP
SCHEMA_OBJECT_OWNERSHIP_CHANGE_GROUP
SCHEMA_OBJECT_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP

If any listed AuditActionGroups do not exist in the configuration, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-58962r998238_fix)
Deploy an Azure SQL Database audit. Refer to the supplemental file "AzureSQLDatabaseAudit.txt" PowerShell script. Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/az.sql/set-azsqlserveraudit">https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/az.sql/set-azsqlserveraudit