7.3 Ensure Database Backups are Encrypted

Information

Ensure Database Backups are Encrypted

Rationale:

Databases may contain sensitive. Backups of this data allow the data to easily leave the Enterprise and secure environments. Encrypting the backup makes accessing the data much more difficult.

Impact:

A database backup accidentally exposed to the Internet or transmitted outside a secure environment can be easily restored to a SQL Server anywhere and its contents discovered.

Solution

SQL Server backups need to 'Back up to a new media set', not 'Back up to the existing media set' in order to allow for encryption. The backup option to Encrypt Backup can be implemented after a Certificate or Asymmetric key has been applied to the SQL Server for this purpose.
Alternatively, encrypt the database with TDE. This automatically encrypts the backups as well. See 7.5

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/7201

Item Details

Category: IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION, SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTION

References: 800-53|IA-5(1), 800-53|SC-28, 800-53|SC-28(1), CSCv7|14.8

Plugin: MS_SQLDB

Control ID: 3fe26e5a2d6f5c7e3da7c71ede28126e1581e3f98504a6ba8a83d7b2d06fec35