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 modify privileges/permissions occur.

DISA Rule

SV-261945r1000840_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-261945

Group Title

SRG-APP-000495-DB-000329

Rule Version

CD16-00-010100

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 modify privileges occur.

All denials are logged by default 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 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 "bob" and a test table by running the following SQL:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE bob; CREATE TABLE test(id INT)"

Set current role to "bob" and attempt to modify privileges:

$ psql -c "SET ROLE bob; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON test TO bob;"
$ psql -c "SET ROLE bob; REVOKE ALL PRIVILEGES ON test FROM bob;"

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify the unsuccessful attempt was logged:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGDATA?}/${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
2024-07-14 18:12:23.208 EDT postgres postgres ERROR: permission denied for relation test
2024-07-14 18:12:23.208 EDT postgres postgres STATEMENT: GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON test TO bob;
2024-07-14 18:14:52.895 EDT postgres postgres ERROR: permission denied for relation test
2024-07-14 18:14:52.895 EDT postgres postgres STATEMENT: REVOKE ALL PRIVILEGES ON test FROM bob;

If audit logs are not generated when unsuccessful attempts to modify privileges/permissions occur, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-261945

Documentable

False

Rule Version

CD16-00-010100

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 "bob" and a test table by running the following SQL:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE bob; CREATE TABLE test(id INT)"

Set current role to "bob" and attempt to modify privileges:

$ psql -c "SET ROLE bob; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON test TO bob;"
$ psql -c "SET ROLE bob; REVOKE ALL PRIVILEGES ON test FROM bob;"

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify the unsuccessful attempt was logged:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGDATA?}/${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
2024-07-14 18:12:23.208 EDT postgres postgres ERROR: permission denied for relation test
2024-07-14 18:12:23.208 EDT postgres postgres STATEMENT: GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON test TO bob;
2024-07-14 18:14:52.895 EDT postgres postgres ERROR: permission denied for relation test
2024-07-14 18:14:52.895 EDT postgres postgres STATEMENT: REVOKE ALL PRIVILEGES ON test FROM bob;

If audit logs are not generated when unsuccessful attempts to modify privileges/permissions occur, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5598