SQL Server must be able to generate audit records when successful and unsuccessful attempts to access security objects occur.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-213995	SQL6-D0-012900	SV-213995r810827_rule		Medium

Description
Changes to the security configuration must be tracked. This requirement applies to situations where security data is retrieved or modified via data manipulation operations, as opposed to via specialized security functionality. In an SQL environment, types of access include, but are not necessarily limited to: SELECT INSERT UPDATE DELETE EXECUTE To aid in diagnosis, it is necessary to keep track of failed attempts in addition to the successful ones. Satisfies: SRG-APP-000492-DB-000332, SRG-APP-000492-DB-000333

Description

Changes to the security configuration must be tracked. This requirement applies to situations where security data is retrieved or modified via data manipulation operations, as opposed to via specialized security functionality. In an SQL environment, types of access include, but are not necessarily limited to: SELECT INSERT UPDATE DELETE EXECUTE To aid in diagnosis, it is necessary to keep track of failed attempts in addition to the successful ones. Satisfies: SRG-APP-000492-DB-000332, SRG-APP-000492-DB-000333

STIG	Date
MS SQL Server 2016 Instance Security Technical Implementation Guide	2022-09-12

Details

Check Text ( C-15212r810826_chk )
Review the system documentation to determine if SQL Server is required to audit the retrieval of when security objects are accessed. If this is not required, this is not a finding. If the documentation does not exist, this is a finding. Determine if an audit is configured and started by executing the following query. SELECT name AS 'Audit Name', status_desc AS 'Audit Status', audit_file_path AS 'Current Audit File' FROM sys.dm_server_audit_status If no records are returned, this is a finding. Execute the following query to verify the SCHEMA_OBJECT_ACCESS_GROUP is included in the server audit specification. SELECT a.name AS 'AuditName', s.name AS 'SpecName', d.audit_action_name AS 'ActionName', d.audited_result AS 'Result' FROM sys.server_audit_specifications s JOIN sys.server_audits a ON s.audit_guid = a.audit_guid JOIN sys.server_audit_specification_details d ON s.server_specification_id = d.server_specification_id WHERE a.is_state_enabled = 1 AND d.audit_action_name = 'SCHEMA_OBJECT_ACCESS_GROUP' If the "SCHEMA_OBJECT_ACCESS_GROUP" is not returned in an active audit, this is a finding.

Check Text ( C-15212r810826_chk )

Review the system documentation to determine if SQL Server is required to audit the retrieval of when security objects are accessed.

If this is not required, this is not a finding.

If the documentation does not exist, this is a finding.

Determine if an audit is configured and started by executing the following query.

SELECT name AS 'Audit Name',
status_desc AS 'Audit Status',
audit_file_path AS 'Current Audit File'
FROM sys.dm_server_audit_status

If no records are returned, this is a finding.

Execute the following query to verify the SCHEMA_OBJECT_ACCESS_GROUP is included in the server audit specification.

SELECT a.name AS 'AuditName',
s.name AS 'SpecName',
d.audit_action_name AS 'ActionName',
d.audited_result AS 'Result'
FROM sys.server_audit_specifications s
JOIN sys.server_audits a ON s.audit_guid = a.audit_guid
JOIN sys.server_audit_specification_details d ON s.server_specification_id = d.server_specification_id
WHERE a.is_state_enabled = 1 AND d.audit_action_name = 'SCHEMA_OBJECT_ACCESS_GROUP'

If the "SCHEMA_OBJECT_ACCESS_GROUP" is not returned in an active audit, this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-15210r754694_fix)
Deploy an audit to audit the retrieval of privilege/permission/role membership information when successful and unsuccessful attempts to access security objects occur. See the supplemental file "SQL 2016 Audit.sql".