Azure SQL Managed Instances must integrate with Microsoft Entra ID for providing account management and automation for all users, groups, roles, and any other principals.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
high	V-276225	SRG-APP-000023-DB-000001	MSQL-00-000100	SV-276225r1150094_rule	2025-10-07	1

Description
Enterprise environments make account management for applications and databases challenging and complex. A manual process for account management functions adds the risk of a potential oversight or other error. Managing accounts for the same person in multiple places is inefficient and prone to problems with consistency and synchronization. A comprehensive application account management process that includes automation helps to ensure that accounts designated as requiring attention are consistently and promptly addressed. Examples include, but are not limited to, using automation to take action on multiple accounts designated as inactive, suspended, or terminated, or by disabling accounts located in noncentralized account stores, such as multiple servers. Account management functions can also include assignment of group or role membership; identifying account type; specifying user access authorizations (i.e., privileges); account removal, update, or termination; and administrative alerts. The use of automated mechanisms can include, for example, using email or text messaging to notify account managers when users are terminated or transferred; using the information system to monitor account usage; and using automated telephone notification to report atypical system account usage. Azure SQL Managed Instance must be configured to automatically utilize organization-level account management functions, and these functions must immediately enforce the organization's current account policy. Automation may comprise differing technologies, that when placed together, contain an overall mechanism supporting an organization's automated account management requirements.

Description

Enterprise environments make account management for applications and databases challenging and complex. A manual process for account management functions adds the risk of a potential oversight or other error. Managing accounts for the same person in multiple places is inefficient and prone to problems with consistency and synchronization. A comprehensive application account management process that includes automation helps to ensure that accounts designated as requiring attention are consistently and promptly addressed. Examples include, but are not limited to, using automation to take action on multiple accounts designated as inactive, suspended, or terminated, or by disabling accounts located in noncentralized account stores, such as multiple servers. Account management functions can also include assignment of group or role membership; identifying account type; specifying user access authorizations (i.e., privileges); account removal, update, or termination; and administrative alerts. The use of automated mechanisms can include, for example, using email or text messaging to notify account managers when users are terminated or transferred; using the information system to monitor account usage; and using automated telephone notification to report atypical system account usage. Azure SQL Managed Instance must be configured to automatically utilize organization-level account management functions, and these functions must immediately enforce the organization's current account policy. Automation may comprise differing technologies, that when placed together, contain an overall mechanism supporting an organization's automated account management requirements.

ℹ️ Check
Determine if Azure SQL Managed Instance is configured to use Microsoft Entra ID authentication only. Only Microsoft Entra ID will be used to authenticate to the server. SQL authentication will be disabled, including SQL Server administrators and users. In a PowerShell or Cloud Shell interface, run the statement: az sql mi ad-only-auth get --resource-group myresource --name myinstance OR Get-AzSqlInstanceActiveDirectoryOnlyAuthentication -InstanceName myinstance -ResourceGroupName myresource If the returned value in the "AzureADOnlyAuthentication" column is "True", this is not a finding. If Mixed mode (both SQL Server authentication and Entra ID authentication) is in use and the need for mixed mode has not been documented and approved, this is a finding. From the documentation, obtain the list of accounts authorized to be managed by Azure SQL Managed Instance. Determine the accounts (SQL Logins) actually managed by Azure SQL Managed Instance. Run the statement: SELECT name FROM sys.database_principals WHERE type_desc = 'SQL_USER' AND authentication_type_desc = 'INSTANCE'; If any accounts listed by the query are not listed in the documentation, this is a finding. Risk must be accepted by the information system security officer (ISSO)/information system security manager (ISSM). More information regarding this process is available at: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/authentication-azure-ad-only-authentication.

ℹ️ Check

Determine if Azure SQL Managed Instance is configured to use Microsoft Entra ID authentication only. Only Microsoft Entra ID will be used to authenticate to the server. SQL authentication will be disabled, including SQL Server administrators and users. In a PowerShell or Cloud Shell interface, run the statement: az sql mi ad-only-auth get --resource-group myresource --name myinstance OR Get-AzSqlInstanceActiveDirectoryOnlyAuthentication -InstanceName myinstance -ResourceGroupName myresource If the returned value in the "AzureADOnlyAuthentication" column is "True", this is not a finding. If Mixed mode (both SQL Server authentication and Entra ID authentication) is in use and the need for mixed mode has not been documented and approved, this is a finding. From the documentation, obtain the list of accounts authorized to be managed by Azure SQL Managed Instance. Determine the accounts (SQL Logins) actually managed by Azure SQL Managed Instance. Run the statement: SELECT name FROM sys.database_principals WHERE type_desc = 'SQL_USER' AND authentication_type_desc = 'INSTANCE'; If any accounts listed by the query are not listed in the documentation, this is a finding. Risk must be accepted by the information system security officer (ISSO)/information system security manager (ISSM). More information regarding this process is available at: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/authentication-azure-ad-only-authentication.

✔️ Fix
If mixed mode is required, document the need and justification; describe the measures taken to ensure the use of Azure SQL Managed Instance authentication is kept to a minimum; describe the measures taken to safeguard passwords; list or describe the SQL logins used; and obtain official approval. If mixed mode is not required, for each account being managed by SQL MI but not requiring it, drop or disable the SQL Database user. Replace it with an appropriately configured account, as needed. To drop a user in the SSMS Object Explorer, navigate to Databases >> database >> Security >> Users. Right-click on the user name and then click "Delete". To drop a user via a query, change the context to the database_name to be evaluated: DROP USER. To enable Microsoft Entra-only Authentication, in a PowerShell or Cloud Shell interface, run the statement: az sql mi ad-only-auth enable --resource-group myresource --name myinstance OR Enable-AzSqlInstanceActiveDirectoryOnlyAuthentication -InstanceName myinstance -ResourceGroupName myresource More information regarding this process is available at the following link: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/authentication-azure-ad-only-authentication.

✔️ Fix

If mixed mode is required, document the need and justification; describe the measures taken to ensure the use of Azure SQL Managed Instance authentication is kept to a minimum; describe the measures taken to safeguard passwords; list or describe the SQL logins used; and obtain official approval. If mixed mode is not required, for each account being managed by SQL MI but not requiring it, drop or disable the SQL Database user. Replace it with an appropriately configured account, as needed. To drop a user in the SSMS Object Explorer, navigate to Databases >> database >> Security >> Users. Right-click on the user name and then click "Delete". To drop a user via a query, change the context to the database_name to be evaluated: DROP USER. To enable Microsoft Entra-only Authentication, in a PowerShell or Cloud Shell interface, run the statement: az sql mi ad-only-auth enable --resource-group myresource --name myinstance OR Enable-AzSqlInstanceActiveDirectoryOnlyAuthentication -InstanceName myinstance -ResourceGroupName myresource More information regarding this process is available at the following link: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/authentication-azure-ad-only-authentication.