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When invalid inputs are received, PostgreSQL must behave in a predictable and documented manner that reflects organizational and system objectives.


Overview

Finding ID Version Rule ID IA Controls Severity
V-72907 PGS9-00-003700 SV-87559r2_rule Medium
Description
A common vulnerability is unplanned behavior when invalid inputs are received. This requirement guards against adverse or unintended system behavior caused by invalid inputs, where information system responses to the invalid input may be disruptive or cause the system to fail into an unsafe state. The behavior will be derived from the organizational and system requirements and includes, but is not limited to, notification of the appropriate personnel, creating an audit record, and rejecting invalid input.
STIG Date
PostgreSQL 9.x Security Technical Implementation Guide 2017-12-27

Details

Check Text ( C-73041r3_chk )
As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), make a small SQL syntax error in psql by running the following: 

$ sudo su - postgres 
$ psql -c "CREAT TABLEincorrect_syntax(id INT)" 
ERROR: syntax error at or near "CREAT" 

Note: The following instructions use the PGVER environment variable. See supplementary content APPENDIX-H for instructions on configuring PGVER.

Now, as the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify the syntax error was logged (change the log file name and part to suit the circumstances): 

$ sudo su - postgres 
$ cat ~/${PGVER?}/data/pg_log/postgresql-Wed.log 
2016-03-30 16:18:10.772 EDT postgres postgres 5706bb87.90dERROR: syntax error at or near "CREAT" at character 1 
2016-03-30 16:18:10.772 EDT postgres postgres 5706bb87.90dSTATEMENT: CREAT TABLE incorrect_syntax(id INT); 

Review system documentation to determine how input errors from application to PostgreSQL are to be handled in general and if any special handling is defined for specific circumstances. 

If it does not implement the documented behavior, this is a finding.
Fix Text (F-79349r1_fix)
Enable logging.

To ensure that logging is enabled, review supplementary content APPENDIX-C for instructions on enabling logging.

All errors and denials are logged if logging is enabled.