Allow Polybase Export feature must be disabled, unless specifically required and approved.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-79343	SQL6-D0-017500	SV-94049r1_rule		Medium

Description
Information systems are capable of providing a wide variety of functions and services. Some of the functions and services, provided by default, may not be necessary to support essential organizational operations (e.g., key missions, functions). It is detrimental for applications to provide, or install by default, functionality exceeding requirements or mission objectives. Applications must adhere to the principles of least functionality by providing only essential capabilities. SQL Server may spawn additional external processes to execute procedures that are defined in the SQL Server but stored in external host files (external procedures). The spawned process used to execute the external procedure may operate within a different OS security context than SQL Server and provide unauthorized access to the host system. SQL Server is capable of providing a wide range of features and services. Some of the features and services, provided by default, may not be necessary, and enabling them could adversely affect the security of the system. The Allow Polybase Export feature allows an export of data to an external data source such as Hadoop File System or Azure Data Lake. An exploit to the SQL Server instance could result in a compromise of the host system and external SQL Server resources.

Description

Information systems are capable of providing a wide variety of functions and services. Some of the functions and services, provided by default, may not be necessary to support essential organizational operations (e.g., key missions, functions). It is detrimental for applications to provide, or install by default, functionality exceeding requirements or mission objectives. Applications must adhere to the principles of least functionality by providing only essential capabilities. SQL Server may spawn additional external processes to execute procedures that are defined in the SQL Server but stored in external host files (external procedures). The spawned process used to execute the external procedure may operate within a different OS security context than SQL Server and provide unauthorized access to the host system. SQL Server is capable of providing a wide range of features and services. Some of the features and services, provided by default, may not be necessary, and enabling them could adversely affect the security of the system. The Allow Polybase Export feature allows an export of data to an external data source such as Hadoop File System or Azure Data Lake. An exploit to the SQL Server instance could result in a compromise of the host system and external SQL Server resources.

STIG	Date
MS SQL Server 2016 Instance Security Technical Implementation Guide	2018-03-09

Details

Check Text ( C-78937r1_chk )
To determine if "Allow Polybase Export" option is enabled, execute the following query: EXEC SP_CONFIGURE 'show advanced options', '1'; RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE; EXEC SP_CONFIGURE 'allow polybase export'; If the value of "config_value" is "0", this is not a finding. If the value of "config_value" is "1", review the system documentation to determine whether the use of "Allow Polybase Export" is required and authorized. If it is not authorized, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-78937r1_chk )

To determine if "Allow Polybase Export" option is enabled, execute the following query:

EXEC SP_CONFIGURE 'show advanced options', '1';
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE;
EXEC SP_CONFIGURE 'allow polybase export';

If the value of "config_value" is "0", this is not a finding.

If the value of "config_value" is "1", review the system documentation to determine whether the use of "Allow Polybase Export" is required and authorized. If it is not authorized, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-86095r1_fix)
Disable use of or remove any external application executable object definitions that are not authorized. To disable the use of "Allow Polybase Export" option, from the query prompt: sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1; GO RECONFIGURE; GO sp_configure 'allow polybase export', 0; GO RECONFIGURE; GO