STIGQter: STIG Summary: MS SQL Server 2016 Instance Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 3 Release: 6 Benchmark Date: 05 Jan 2026:

If DBMS authentication using passwords is employed, SQL Server must enforce the DOD standards for password complexity and lifetime.

DISA Rule

SV-213964r1112499_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-213964

Group Title

SRG-APP-000164-DB-000401

Rule Version

SQL6-D0-007900

Severity

CAT I

CCI(s)

• CCI-004066 - For password-based authentication, enforce organization-defined composition and complexity rules.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure the SQL Server operating system and SQL Server logins for compliance.

Review the Operating System settings relating to password complexity.

Ensure SQL Server is configured to inherit password complexity rules from the operating system for SQL logins. Ensure check of policy and expiration are enforced when SQL logins are created.

CREATE LOGIN <login_name> WITH PASSWORD= <enterStrongPasswordHere>, CHECK_EXPIRATION = ON, CHECK_POLICY = ON;

Check Contents

Check for use of SQL Server Authentication:

SELECT CASE SERVERPROPERTY('IsIntegratedSecurityOnly') WHEN 1 THEN 'Windows Authentication' WHEN 0 THEN 'SQL Server Authentication' END as [Authentication Mode]

If the returned value in the "Authentication Mode" column is "Windows Authentication", this is not a finding.

If the returned value in the "Authentication Mode" column is "SQL Server Authentication", SQL Server should be configured to inherit password complexity and password lifetime rules from the operating system.

Review SQL Server to ensure logons are created with respect to the complexity settings and password lifetime rules by running the statement:

SELECT [name], is_expiration_checked, is_policy_checked
FROM sys.sql_logins

Review any accounts returned by the query other than the disabled SA account, ##MS_PolicyTsqlExecutionLogin##, ##MS_PolicyEventProcessingLogin##, ##MS_SSISServerCleanupJobLogin##, and other internal accounts that start with ##MS.

If any account does not have both "is_expiration_checked" and "is_policy_checked" equal to “1”, this is a finding.

Review the operating system settings relating to password complexity.

To check the server operating system for password complexity:

Navigate to Start >> All Programs >> Administrative Tools >> Local Security Policy, and to review the local policies on the machine, go to Account Policy >> Password Policy.

Ensure the DISA Windows Password Policy is set on the SQL Server member server. If any are not, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-213964

Documentable

False

Rule Version

SQL6-D0-007900

Severity Override Guidance

Check for use of SQL Server Authentication:

SELECT CASE SERVERPROPERTY('IsIntegratedSecurityOnly') WHEN 1 THEN 'Windows Authentication' WHEN 0 THEN 'SQL Server Authentication' END as [Authentication Mode]

If the returned value in the "Authentication Mode" column is "Windows Authentication", this is not a finding.

If the returned value in the "Authentication Mode" column is "SQL Server Authentication", SQL Server should be configured to inherit password complexity and password lifetime rules from the operating system.

Review SQL Server to ensure logons are created with respect to the complexity settings and password lifetime rules by running the statement:

SELECT [name], is_expiration_checked, is_policy_checked
FROM sys.sql_logins

Review any accounts returned by the query other than the disabled SA account, ##MS_PolicyTsqlExecutionLogin##, ##MS_PolicyEventProcessingLogin##, ##MS_SSISServerCleanupJobLogin##, and other internal accounts that start with ##MS.

If any account does not have both "is_expiration_checked" and "is_policy_checked" equal to “1”, this is a finding.

Review the operating system settings relating to password complexity.

To check the server operating system for password complexity:

Navigate to Start >> All Programs >> Administrative Tools >> Local Security Policy, and to review the local policies on the machine, go to Account Policy >> Password Policy.

Ensure the DISA Windows Password Policy is set on the SQL Server member server. If any are not, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

3993