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

PostgreSQL must enforce authorized access to all PKI private keys stored/used by PostgreSQL.

DISA Rule

SV-261894r1000687_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-261894

Group Title

SRG-APP-000176-DB-000068

Rule Version

CD16-00-004100

Severity

CAT I

CCI(s)

• CCI-000186 - For public key-based authentication, enforce authorized access to the corresponding private key.

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Note: The following instructions use the PGDATA and PGVER environment variables. Refer to APPENDIX-F for instructions on configuring PGDATA and APPENDIX-H for PGVER.

Store all PostgreSQL PKI private keys in a FIPS 140-2-validated cryptographic module.

Ensure access to PostgreSQL PKI private keys is restricted to only authenticated and authorized users.

PostgreSQL private key(s) can be stored in $PGDATA directory, which is only accessible by the database owner (usually postgres, DBA) user. Do not allow access to this system account to unauthorized users.

To put the keys in a different directory, as the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), set the following settings to a protected directory:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ vi ${PGDATA?}/postgresql.conf
ssl_ca_file = "/some/protected/directory/root.crt"
ssl_crl_file = "/some/protected/directory/root.crl"
ssl_cert_file = "/some/protected/directory/server.crt"
ssl_key_file = "/some/protected/directory/server.key"

As the system administrator, restart the server with the new configuration:

# SYSTEMD SERVER ONLY
$ sudo systemctl restart postgresql-${PGVER?}

For more information on configuring PostgreSQL to use SSL, refer to supplementary content APPENDIX-G.

Check Contents

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify the following settings:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "select name, case when setting = '' then '<undefined>' when substring(setting, 1, 1) = '/' then setting else (select setting from pg_settings where name = 'data_directory') || '/' || setting end as setting from pg_settings where name in ('ssl_ca_file', 'ssl_cert_file', 'ssl_crl_file', 'ssl_key_file');"

If the directory in which these files are stored is not protected, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-261894

Documentable

False

Rule Version

CD16-00-004100

Severity Override Guidance

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify the following settings:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "select name, case when setting = '' then '<undefined>' when substring(setting, 1, 1) = '/' then setting else (select setting from pg_settings where name = 'data_directory') || '/' || setting end as setting from pg_settings where name in ('ssl_ca_file', 'ssl_cert_file', 'ssl_crl_file', 'ssl_key_file');"

If the directory in which these files are stored is not protected, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5598