SQL Server must provide an immediate real-time alert to appropriate support staff of all audit failure events requiring real-time alerts.

From MS SQL Server 2016 Instance Security Technical Implementation Guide

Associated with: CCI-001858

SV-93937r1_rule SQL Server must provide an immediate real-time alert to appropriate support staff of all audit failure events requiring real-time alerts.

Vulnerability discussion

It is critical for the appropriate personnel to be aware if a system is at risk of failing to process audit logs as required. Without a real-time alert, security personnel may be unaware of an impending failure of the audit capability, and system operation may be adversely affected. The appropriate support staff include, at a minimum, the ISSO and the DBA/SA. Alerts provide organizations with urgent messages. Real-time alerts provide these messages immediately (i.e., the time from event detection to alert occurs in seconds or less). Alerts can be generated using tools like the SQL Server Agent Alerts and Database Mail.

Check content

Review the system documentation to determine which audit failure events require real-time alerts. Review SQL Server settings and code. If the real-time alerting that is specified in the documentation is not enabled, this is a finding.

Fix text

Configure the system to provide immediate real-time alerts to appropriate support staff when a specified audit event failures occurs.

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