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 execute privileged activities or other system-level access occur.

DISA Rule

SV-261959r1000882_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-261959

Group Title

SRG-APP-000504-DB-000355

Rule Version

CD16-00-011500

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 execute privileged SQL.

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 on PGLOG.

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

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

Change the current role to bob and attempt to execute privileged activity:

$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE stig_test SUPERUSER"
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEDB"
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEROLE"
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEUSER"

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify that an audit event was produced (use the latest log):

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGDATA?}/${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
< 2024-02-23 20:16:32.396 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >ERROR: must be superuser to create superusers
< 2024-02-23 20:16:32.396 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >STATEMENT: CREATE ROLE stig_test SUPERUSER;
< 2024-02-23 20:16:48.725 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >ERROR: permission denied to create role
< 2024-02-23 20:16:48.725 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >STATEMENT: CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEDB;
< 2024-02-23 20:16:54.365 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >ERROR: permission denied to create role
< 2024-02-23 20:16:54.365 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >STATEMENT: CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEROLE;
< 2024-02-23 20:17:05.949 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >ERROR: must be superuser to create superusers
< 2024-02-23 20:17:05.949 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >STATEMENT: CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEUSER;

If audit records are not produced, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-261959

Documentable

False

Rule Version

CD16-00-011500

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 on PGLOG.

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

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

Change the current role to bob and attempt to execute privileged activity:

$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE stig_test SUPERUSER"
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEDB"
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEROLE"
$ psql -c "CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEUSER"

As the database administrator (shown here as "postgres"), verify that an audit event was produced (use the latest log):

$ sudo su - postgres
$ cat ${PGDATA?}/${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
< 2024-02-23 20:16:32.396 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >ERROR: must be superuser to create superusers
< 2024-02-23 20:16:32.396 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >STATEMENT: CREATE ROLE stig_test SUPERUSER;
< 2024-02-23 20:16:48.725 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >ERROR: permission denied to create role
< 2024-02-23 20:16:48.725 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >STATEMENT: CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEDB;
< 2024-02-23 20:16:54.365 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >ERROR: permission denied to create role
< 2024-02-23 20:16:54.365 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >STATEMENT: CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEROLE;
< 2024-02-23 20:17:05.949 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >ERROR: must be superuser to create superusers
< 2024-02-23 20:17:05.949 UTC postgres 56cfa74f.79eb postgres: >STATEMENT: CREATE ROLE stig_test CREATEUSER;

If audit records are not produced, this is a finding.

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5598