STIGQter: STIG Summary: Crunchy Data Postgres 16 Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 1 Release: 3 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026:

PostgreSQL must generate audit records when unsuccessful attempts to retrieve privileges/permissions occur.

DISA Rule

SV-261864r1000597_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-261864

Group Title

SRG-APP-000091-DB-000325

Rule Version

CD16-00-000800

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

• CCI-000172 - Generate audit records for the event types defined in AU-2 c that include the audit record content defined in AU-3.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Configure PostgreSQL to produce audit records when unsuccessful attempts to access privileges occur.

All denials are logged if logging is enabled. To ensure logging is enabled, see the instructions in the supplementary content APPENDIX-C.

Check Contents

Note: The following instructions use the PGLOG environment variables. Refer to supplementary content APPENDIX-I for instructions on configuring PGLOG.

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), create a role "bob" by running the following SQL:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE bob"

Attempt to retrieve information from the pg_authid table:

$ psql -c "SET ROLE bob; SELECT * FROM pg_authid"
$ psql -c "DROP ROLE bob;"

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify the event was logged in PGLOG:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
< 2024-02-13 16:49:58.864 UTC postgres postgres ERROR: > permission denied for relation pg_authid
< 2024-02-13 16:49:58.864 UTC postgres postgres STATEMENT: > SELECT * FROM pg_authid

If the above steps cannot verify that audit records are produced when PostgreSQL denies retrieval of privileges/permissions/role memberships, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-261864

Documentable

False

Rule Version

CD16-00-000800

Severity Override Guidance

Note: The following instructions use the PGLOG environment variables. Refer to supplementary content APPENDIX-I for instructions on configuring PGLOG.

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), create a role "bob" by running the following SQL:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE bob"

Attempt to retrieve information from the pg_authid table:

$ psql -c "SET ROLE bob; SELECT * FROM pg_authid"
$ psql -c "DROP ROLE bob;"

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify the event was logged in PGLOG:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
< 2024-02-13 16:49:58.864 UTC postgres postgres ERROR: > permission denied for relation pg_authid
< 2024-02-13 16:49:58.864 UTC postgres postgres STATEMENT: > SELECT * FROM pg_authid

If the above steps cannot verify that audit records are produced when PostgreSQL denies retrieval of privileges/permissions/role memberships, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5598