STIGQter STIGQter: STIG Summary: Microsoft Azure SQL Database Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 2 Release: 3 Benchmark Date: 02 Jul 2025:

Azure SQL Database must protect against a user falsely repudiating by use of system-versioned tables (Temporal Tables).

DISA Rule

SV-255305r960864_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-255305

Group Title

SRG-APP-000080-DB-000063

Rule Version

ASQL-00-000500

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Alter sensitive tables to utilize system versioning.

--Alter non-temporal table to define periods for system versioning
ALTER TABLE <MyTableName>
ADD PERIOD FOR SYSTEM_TIME (SysStartTime, SysEndTime),
SysStartTime datetime2 GENERATED ALWAYS AS ROW START HIDDEN NOT NULL
DEFAULT SYSUTCDATETIME(),
SysEndTime datetime2 GENERATED ALWAYS AS ROW END HIDDEN NOT NULL
DEFAULT CONVERT(DATETIME2, '9999-12-31 23:59:59.99999999') ;

--Enable system versioning with 1 year retention for historical data
ALTER TABLE <MyTableName>
SET (SYSTEM_VERSIONING = ON (HISTORY_RETENTION_PERIOD = 1 YEAR)) ;

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/statements/alter-table-transact-sql?view=azuresqldb-current#system_versioning

Check Contents

Check the server documentation to determine if collecting and keeping historical versions of a table is required.

If collecting and keeping historical versions of a table is NOT required, this is not a finding.

Find all of the temporal tables in the database using the following query:

SELECT SCHEMA_NAME(T.schema_id) AS schema_name, T.name AS table_name, T.temporal_type_desc, SCHEMA_NAME(H.schema_id) + '.' + H.name AS history_table
FROM sys.tables T
JOIN sys.tables H ON T.history_table_id = H.object_id
WHERE T.temporal_type != 0
ORDER BY schema_name, table_name

Using the system documentation, determine which tables are required to be temporal tables.

If any tables listed in the documentation are not in the list created by running the above statement, this is a finding.

Ensure a field exists documenting the login and/or user who last modified the record. If this does not exist, this is a finding.

Review the system documentation to determine the history retention period.
Navigate to the table in Object Explorer. Right-click on the table, and then select Script Table As >> CREATE To >> New Query Editor Window.

Locate the line that contains "SYSTEM_VERSIONING".
Locate the text that states "HISTORY_RETENTION_PERIOD".

If this text is missing, or is set to a value less than the documented history retention period, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-255305

Documentable

False

Rule Version

ASQL-00-000500

Severity Override Guidance

Check the server documentation to determine if collecting and keeping historical versions of a table is required.

If collecting and keeping historical versions of a table is NOT required, this is not a finding.

Find all of the temporal tables in the database using the following query:

SELECT SCHEMA_NAME(T.schema_id) AS schema_name, T.name AS table_name, T.temporal_type_desc, SCHEMA_NAME(H.schema_id) + '.' + H.name AS history_table
FROM sys.tables T
JOIN sys.tables H ON T.history_table_id = H.object_id
WHERE T.temporal_type != 0
ORDER BY schema_name, table_name

Using the system documentation, determine which tables are required to be temporal tables.

If any tables listed in the documentation are not in the list created by running the above statement, this is a finding.

Ensure a field exists documenting the login and/or user who last modified the record. If this does not exist, this is a finding.

Review the system documentation to determine the history retention period.
Navigate to the table in Object Explorer. Right-click on the table, and then select Script Table As >> CREATE To >> New Query Editor Window.

Locate the line that contains "SYSTEM_VERSIONING".
Locate the text that states "HISTORY_RETENTION_PERIOD".

If this text is missing, or is set to a value less than the documented history retention period, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5500