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Databases use Entra ID only authentication#

Security · SQL Database · Rule · 2023_03 · Important

Ensure Entra ID only authentication is enabled with Azure SQL Database.

Description#

Azure SQL Database supports authentication with SQL logins and Entra ID (previously known as Azure AD) authentication. By default, authentication with SQL logins is enabled. SQL logins are unable to provide sufficient protection for identities.

Entra ID authentication provides:

  • Strong protection controls including conditional access, identity governance, and privileged identity management.
  • Centralized identity management with Entra ID.

Additionally you can disable SQL authentication entirely, by enabling Entra ID only authentication.

Some features may have limitations when using Entra ID only authentication is enabled, including:

  • Elastic jobs
  • SQL Data Sync
  • Change Data Capture (CDC)
  • Transactional replication
  • SQL insights

Recommendation#

Consider using Entra ID only authentication. Also consider using Azure Policy for Entra ID only authentication with SQL Database.

Examples#

Azure AD-only authentication can be enabled in two different ways.

Configure with Azure template#

To deploy SQL Logical Servers that pass this rule:

  • Set the properties.administrators.azureADOnlyAuthentication property to true.

For example:

Azure Template snippet
{
  "type": "Microsoft.Sql/servers",
  "apiVersion": "2022-05-01-preview",
  "name": "[parameters('name')]",
  "location": "[parameters('location')]",
  "identity": {
    "type": "SystemAssigned",
    "userAssignedIdentities": {}
  },
  "properties": {
    "administratorLogin": "[parameters('administratorLogin')]",
    "administratorLoginPassword": "[parameters('administratorLoginPassword')]",
    "administrators": {
      "administratorType": "ActiveDirectory",
      "azureADOnlyAuthentication": true,
      "login": "[parameters('login')]",
      "principalType": "[parameters('principalType')]",
      "sid": "[parameters('sid')]",
      "tenantId": "[parameters('tenantId')]"
    }
  }
}

Alternatively, you can configure the Microsoft.Sql/servers/azureADOnlyAuthentications sub-resource. To deploy Microsoft.Sql/servers/azureADOnlyAuthentications sub-resources that pass this rule:

  • Set the properties.azureADOnlyAuthentication property to true.

For example:

Azure Template snippet
{
  "type": "Microsoft.Sql/servers/azureADOnlyAuthentications",
  "apiVersion": "2022-05-01-preview",
  "name": "[format('{0}/{1}', parameters('name'), 'Default')]",
  "properties": {
    "azureADOnlyAuthentication": true
  },
  "dependsOn": [
    "[resourceId('Microsoft.Sql/servers', parameters('name'))]"
  ]
}

Configure with Bicep#

To deploy SQL Logical Servers that pass this rule:

  • Set the properties.administrators.azureADOnlyAuthentication property to true.

For example:

Azure Bicep snippet
resource logicalServer 'Microsoft.Sql/servers@2022-05-01-preview' = {
  name: name
  location: location
  identity: {
    type: 'SystemAssigned'
    userAssignedIdentities: {}
  }
  properties: {
    administratorLogin: administratorLogin
    administratorLoginPassword: administratorLoginPassword
    administrators: {
      administratorType: 'ActiveDirectory'
      azureADOnlyAuthentication: true
      login: login
      principalType: principalType
      sid: sid
      tenantId: tenantId
    }
  }
}

Alternatively, you can configure the Microsoft.Sql/servers/azureADOnlyAuthentications sub-resource. To deploy Microsoft.Sql/servers/azureADOnlyAuthentications sub-resources that pass this rule:

  • Set the properties.azureADOnlyAuthentication property to true.

For example:

Azure Bicep snippet
resource aadOnly 'Microsoft.Sql/servers/azureADOnlyAuthentications@2022-05-01-preview' = {
  name: 'Default'
  parent: logicalServer
  properties: {
    azureADOnlyAuthentication: true
  }
}

Configure with Azure Verified Modules

A pre-validated module supported by Microsoft is available from the Azure Bicep public registry. To reference the module, please use the following syntax:

br/public:avm/res/sql/server:<version>

To use the latest version:

br/public:avm/res/sql/server:0.9.1

Configure with Azure Policy#

To address this issue at runtime use the following policies:

Notes#

The Entra ID admin must be set before enabling Entra ID only authentication. A managed identity is required if an Entra ID service principal (Entra ID application) oversees creating and managing Entra ID users, groups, or applications in the logical server.

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