SQL2-00-022600 - SQL Server must employ cryptographic mechanisms preventing the unauthorized disclosure of information during transmission.

Information

Preventing the disclosure of transmitted information requires that applications take measures to employ some form of cryptographic mechanism in order to protect the information during transmission. This is usually achieved through the use of Transport Layer Security (TLS), VPN, or IPSEC tunnel.

Information in transmission is particularly vulnerable to attack. If the DBMS does not employ cryptographic mechanisms preventing unauthorized disclosure of information during transit, the information may be compromised.

Solution

Deploy organization-approved encryption to the SQL Server network connections.

Where physical network devices are used for encryption, set them up such that:

1. The plaintext connection to the database server is afforded the highest protections, allowing no access to unauthorized or non-cleared personnel.
2. The encryption device is configured to pass traffic to only the specific IP addresses as identified by the database documentation.
3. The encryption keys utilized are current and valid keys.
4. The keys utilized meet approved organizationally defined compliant algorithms.

Where SQL Server network encryption is used, open SQL Server Configuration Manager. Navigate to SQL Server Configuration Manager >> SQL Server Network Configuration. Right click on Protocols for [NAME OF INSTANCE], where [NAME OF INSTANCE] is a placeholder for the SQL Server instance name, and click on Properties. On the Flags tab, set Force Encryption to YES, provide a DoD certificate on the Certificate tab.

See Also

https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_MS_SQL_Server_2012_V1R20_STIG.zip

Item Details

Category: SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTION

References: 800-53|SC-8(1), CAT|I, CCI|CCI-002421, Rule-ID|SV-53261r4_rule, STIG-ID|SQL2-00-022600, Vuln-ID|V-40907

Plugin: MS_SQLDB

Control ID: 8ada34f5ead0168caeaf57fee714fef5685d1247364e61528b4c4616f8a853e3