SQL Server must generate audit records when categorized information (e.g., classification levels/security levels) is accessed.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-213997	SQL6-D0-013100	SV-213997r754642_rule		Medium

Description
Changes in categorized information must be tracked. Without an audit trail, unauthorized access to protected data could go undetected. For detailed information on categorizing information, refer to FIPS Publication 199, Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems, and FIPS Publication 200, Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems.

Description

Changes in categorized information must be tracked. Without an audit trail, unauthorized access to protected data could go undetected. For detailed information on categorizing information, refer to FIPS Publication 199, Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems, and FIPS Publication 200, Minimum Security Requirements for Federal Information and Information Systems.

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

Details

Check Text ( C-15214r313774_chk )
Review the system documentation to determine if SQL Server is required to audit when data classifications are retrieved. 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. If auditing the retrieval of privilege/permission/role membership information is required, 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-15214r313774_chk )

Review the system documentation to determine if SQL Server is required to audit when data classifications are retrieved.

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.

If auditing the retrieval of privilege/permission/role membership information is required, 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-15212r313775_fix)
Deploy an audit to audit when data classifications are retrieved. See the supplemental file "SQL 2016 Audit.sql".