Tag Archives: AD

How to Secure Your Azure SQL Database

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  1. Authentication and Authorization:
    • Use Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) authentication for better security.
    • Implement firewall rules to control access to your database.
    • Assign minimal permissions to users based on their roles (principle of least privilege).
  2. Encryption:
    • Enable Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) to protect data at rest.
    • Use Always Encrypted to secure sensitive data in transit.
    • Consider client-side encryption for additional protection.
  3. Auditing and Monitoring:
    • Enable Azure SQL Auditing to track database activity.
    • Set up Azure Monitor to receive alerts and insights.
    • Regularly review logs and audit trails.
  4. Network Security:
    • Isolate your database using Virtual Network Service Endpoints.
    • Restrict public access and use private endpoints.
  5. Patch Management:
    • Keep your database engine up to date with the latest security patches.
    • Regularly review vulnerability assessments.
  6. Backup and Recovery:
    • Implement automated backups and test recovery procedures (remember a backup is only theoretically there unless it has been tested and proven to work).
    • Store backups conforming to the 3-2-1 Backup Rule explained below (do not assume your backups are safe just because they are in the cloud).

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule: Ensuring Data Resilience

The 3-2-1 Rule is a robust strategy that emphasizes redundancy, resilience, and data availability. Here’s what it entails:

  1. Three Copies of Your Data:
    • Maintain the original data and create at least two additional copies.
  2. Two Different Types of Media for Storage:
    • Store your data on distinct forms of media (e.g., hard drives, tapes) to enhance redundancy.
  3. At Least One Copy Off-Site:
    • Safeguard one backup copy in an off-site location, separate from your primary data and on-site backups.

By adhering to this rule, you mitigate single points of failure, protect against corruption, and ensure data safety even in unexpected events or disasters

How to tell if you are a member of a SQL Server group or create a list of group members using T-SQL

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The following scripts will help you determine if you are a member of a group or role or create a list of group members in SQL Server without having to use SQL Server Management Studio. This is a particularly handy script in determining who might have access to the server through Active Directory groups.

/*
The code below indicates whether the current user is a member 
of the specified Microsoft Windows group or SQL Server database role.
A result of 1 = yes
,0 = no
,null = the group or role queried is not valid.
*/

SELECT IS_MEMBER('group or role')

/* 
Example. 
*/

SELECT IS_MEMBER('db_owner')

/*
The code below will create a list of all the logins that are members 
of a group. Don't forget to include domain, e.g. admin\user
*/

EXEC master..xp_logininfo 
@acctname = [group],
@option = 'members'