​
Event Information

  • The Microsoft.Sql.servers.write event in Azure for AzureDatabaseService refers to a write operation performed on the SQL Server instance within the Azure Database Service.
  • This event indicates that a change or modification has been made to the SQL Server, such as creating or updating a database, table, or stored procedure.
  • It is important to monitor this event as it helps track changes made to the SQL Server instance and can be useful for auditing, troubleshooting, and ensuring compliance with security and governance policies.

​
Examples

  1. Unauthorized access: If the Microsoft.Sql.servers.write permission is misconfigured or granted to unauthorized users or roles, it can lead to unauthorized access to the Azure SQL Database service. This can result in potential data breaches, data loss, or unauthorized modifications to the database.

  2. Data leakage: If the Microsoft.Sql.servers.write permission is granted to users or roles without proper restrictions, it can lead to data leakage. Users with this permission can potentially write sensitive data to the database and expose it to unauthorized individuals or entities.

  3. Malicious activities: Granting the Microsoft.Sql.servers.write permission to malicious users or roles can result in various malicious activities. These activities may include unauthorized modifications to the database schema, insertion of malicious code or scripts, or even deletion of critical data. This can severely impact the security and integrity of the Azure SQL Database service.

​
Remediation

​
Using Console

To remediate the issues for Azure Database Service using the Azure console, you can follow these step-by-step instructions:

  1. Enable auditing for Azure SQL Database:

    • Go to the Azure portal and navigate to the Azure SQL Database service.
    • Select the specific database you want to enable auditing for.
    • In the left-hand menu, under the Security section, click on “Auditing”.
    • Click on “Enable” to enable auditing for the database.
    • Configure the desired audit settings, such as storage account, retention period, and events to audit.
    • Click on “Save” to apply the changes.

  2. Enable encryption at rest for Azure SQL Database:

    • Go to the Azure portal and navigate to the Azure SQL Database service.
    • Select the specific database you want to enable encryption for.
    • In the left-hand menu, under the Security section, click on “Transparent data encryption”.
    • Click on “Enable” to enable encryption at rest for the database.
    • Wait for the encryption process to complete, which may take some time depending on the database size.

  3. Enable network security groups for Azure Virtual Machines:

    • Go to the Azure portal and navigate to the Azure Virtual Machine service.
    • Select the specific virtual machine you want to apply network security groups to.
    • In the left-hand menu, under the Settings section, click on “Networking”.
    • Click on “Network security group” and then “Create new” to create a new network security group.
    • Configure the desired inbound and outbound security rules to restrict network traffic.
    • Associate the newly created network security group with the virtual machine.
    • Click on “Save” to apply the changes.

Note: The above instructions provide a general guideline for remediating the mentioned issues. It is important to consider your specific requirements and configurations while implementing these steps.

​
Using CLI

To remediate issues related to Azure Database Service using Azure CLI, you can follow these steps:

  1. Enable auditing for Azure SQL Database:

    • Use the az sql server update-auditing command to enable auditing for the Azure SQL Server.
    • Specify the necessary parameters such as --state Enabled and --storage-account-resource-id to configure auditing settings.
    • Example command: az sql server update-auditing --resource-group <resource-group-name> --server <server-name> --state Enabled --storage-account-resource-id <storage-account-resource-id>

  2. Enable diagnostic settings for Azure SQL Database:

    • Use the az monitor diagnostic-settings create command to enable diagnostic settings for the Azure SQL Database.
    • Specify the necessary parameters such as --name, --resource-id, and --workspace to configure diagnostic settings.
    • Example command: az monitor diagnostic-settings create --name <diagnostic-settings-name> --resource <database-resource-id> --workspace <workspace-id>

  3. Enable threat detection for Azure SQL Database:

    • Use the az sql db threat-policy update command to enable threat detection for the Azure SQL Database.
    • Specify the necessary parameters such as --name, --resource-group, --server, and --state to configure threat detection settings.
    • Example command: az sql db threat-policy update --name <database-name> --resource-group <resource-group-name> --server <server-name> --state Enabled

​
Using Python

To remediate issues related to Azure Database Service using Python, you can follow these steps:

  1. Monitor and alert on database service events:

    • Use the Azure Monitor service to set up alerts for specific events or metrics related to your Azure Database Service.
    • Create an alert rule using the Azure SDK for Python to trigger an action when a specific event occurs.
    • Use the Azure Event Grid service to publish events to a topic and subscribe to those events using Python to take necessary actions.

  2. Automate database backups:

    • Use the Azure SDK for Python to create a script that automates the backup process for your Azure Database Service.
    • Set up a scheduled task or a cron job to run the script at regular intervals.
    • Ensure that the script includes error handling and logging to capture any issues during the backup process.

  3. Implement security best practices:

    • Use the Azure SDK for Python to configure firewall rules and virtual network service endpoints to restrict access to your Azure Database Service.
    • Enable auditing and threat detection for your database service using the Azure SDK for Python to detect and respond to potential security threats.
    • Regularly review and update the access control policies for your Azure Database Service using Python scripts to ensure compliance with security standards.

Please note that the provided examples are conceptual and may require customization based on your specific requirements and the Azure Database Service you are using.