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 privileges/permissions are added.

DISA Rule

SV-261942r1000831_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-261942

Group Title

SRG-APP-000495-DB-000326

Rule Version

CD16-00-009800

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

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.

PostgreSQL can be configured to audit these requests using pgaudit,. Refer to supplementary content APPENDIX-B for documentation on installing pgaudit.

With pgaudit installed, the following configurations can be made:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ vi ${PGDATA?}/postgresql.conf

Add the following parameters (or edit existing parameters):

pgaudit.log = 'role'

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

$ sudo systemctl reload postgresql-${PGVER?}

Check Contents

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

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

Change the privileges of another user:

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

GRANT then REVOKE privileges from the role:

$ psql -c "GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres TO bob"
$ psql -c "REVOKE CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres FROM bob"

postgres=# REVOKE CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres FROM bob;
REVOKE

postgres=# GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres TO bob;
GRANT

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify the events were logged:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGDATA?}/${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
< 2024-07-13 16:25:21.103 EDT postgres postgres LOG: > AUDIT: SESSION,1,1,ROLE,GRANT,,,GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres TO bob,<none>
< 2024-07-13 16:25:25.520 EDT postgres postgres LOG: > AUDIT: SESSION,1,1,ROLE,REVOKE,,,REVOKE CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres FROM bob,<none>

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

Vulnerability Number

V-261942

Documentable

False

Rule Version

CD16-00-009800

Severity Override Guidance

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

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

Change the privileges of another user:

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

GRANT then REVOKE privileges from the role:

$ psql -c "GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres TO bob"
$ psql -c "REVOKE CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres FROM bob"

postgres=# REVOKE CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres FROM bob;
REVOKE

postgres=# GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres TO bob;
GRANT

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify the events were logged:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGDATA?}/${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
< 2024-07-13 16:25:21.103 EDT postgres postgres LOG: > AUDIT: SESSION,1,1,ROLE,GRANT,,,GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres TO bob,<none>
< 2024-07-13 16:25:25.520 EDT postgres postgres LOG: > AUDIT: SESSION,1,1,ROLE,REVOKE,,,REVOKE CONNECT ON DATABASE postgres FROM bob,<none>

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

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5598