How to secure SQL Server audit log

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How to secure SQL Server audit log

Richard Sisk

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Points: 2727
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August 21, 2009 at 4:23 pm

#137516

Working on instructions for securing a SQL 2005/2008 server for credit card PCI compliance. Below are the specific requirements from the PCI spec that I am using SQL Server auditing to cover.
The specific items; 10.2.3 and 10.2.6 are the requirements I am solving for. Can I audit these actions?
10.2.2 All actions taken by any individual with root or administrative privileges
10.2.3 Access to all audit trails
10.2.4 Invalid logical access attempts
10.2 5 Use of identification and authentication mechanisms
10.2.6 Initialization of the audit logs
Thanks

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S. Kusen SSChampion Points: 10936 More actions · Answer 1

Can you elaborate on the audit logs you are referring to?

Richard Sisk SSCrazy Points: 2727 More actions · Answer 2

Sure, its the log that gets the entries when someone does a login or logout of SQL Server. You can then view the logs in SQL Server Management Studio by clicking on Management/SQL Server Logs.

Johan Bijnens SSC Guru Points: 135513 More actions · Answer 3

- You can indeed switch your sqlserver instance to "audit login all", that will insert a row for every logon attempt in the sqlserver instance Errorlog file.

Off course you'll have to secure that file at os level and take copies at frequent inverval,...

- to trace what's going on you could use my little article "

SQL Server and SOX" to get started.

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Security/3203/

- Keep in mind at windows level you can also audit the (windows) logons at os-level.

- you can also capture sqlserver login events yourself ( see "Scope: The drastic caveat with Logon Triggers." !

at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Administration/64974/ )

Johan

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