When it comes to database security, SQL Server offers a range of features and best practices that can help protect your data from unauthorized access and potential threats. In this blog post, we will discuss some important concepts and recommendations for securing your SQL Server environment.

User Accounts

SQL Server executes as a set of Windows services and requires a domain account to interact with network services and access domain resources. It is important to choose a service account with the least amount of privileges needed to perform its job. Using a domain user that is not a member of the Local Administrator group or the Domain Administrators group is recommended for the SQL Server service account.

Additionally, it is important to consider the security of sensitive accounts such as the SQL Server Browser service account. Running the SQL Server Browser service under the NETWORK SERVICE account, which has the least privileges, is recommended to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.

Authentication

Prefer Kerberos over NTLM authentication for Windows connections to SQL Server. Kerberos authentication is possible when the client and server are joined in the same domain or in different domains with two-way trusts. By setting the appropriate Service Principal Names (SPNs), you can enable Kerberos authentication, which provides a more secure authentication mechanism.

Securing SQL Server Roles and Permissions

When it comes to securing SQL Server roles and permissions, there are several best practices to consider:

• Disable the SA account, which is a frequent target of malicious users, using the ALTER LOGIN statement. If disabling the account is not an option, consider renaming it to help protect it.
• Restrict the membership of the sysadmin fixed server role to logins that use Windows Authentication. This ensures greater protection of SQL Server.
• If users without sysadmin rights need to perform certain tasks, consider creating proxy accounts. There are two types of proxy accounts: the xp_cmdshell proxy and the SQL Agent job proxy. Each type has its own configuration requirements and authorities.

Implementing these best practices can help enhance the security of your SQL Server environment and protect your data from potential threats.

While these recommendations are important, it is also crucial to regularly update and patch your SQL Server installation, implement strong password policies, and regularly review and audit user access and permissions.

By following these best practices and staying up to date with the latest security features and recommendations from Microsoft, you can ensure the security and integrity of your SQL Server environment.

Have you implemented these security measures in your SQL Server environment? Let us know in the comments!