MSDN Documentation

This section provides comprehensive documentation on securing Microsoft SQL Server. Learn about best practices, authentication, authorization, auditing, and data protection to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of your database.

Core Security Concepts

Understanding the foundational elements of SQL Server security is crucial for building robust and secure applications.

Authentication and Authorization

SQL Server supports various authentication modes, including Windows Authentication and SQL Server Authentication. Authorization governs what authenticated users can do within the database.

• SQL Server Authentication Methods
• Permissions and Roles
• Server-Level Roles
• Database-Level Roles

Data Encryption and Protection

Protect sensitive data at rest and in transit using features like Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) and Always Encrypted.

• Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)
• Always Encrypted
• Dynamic Data Masking

Auditing and Monitoring

Implement auditing to track database events and user activities, helping to detect and respond to security threats.

• SQL Server Audit
• Login Auditing

Threat Detection and Prevention

Explore mechanisms for detecting and preventing common database attacks.

• SQL Injection Prevention
• Vulnerability Assessment

Advanced Security Features

Dive deeper into specialized security configurations and best practices.

Compliance and Governance

Ensure your SQL Server deployments meet regulatory compliance requirements.

• Security for Compliance
• Data Governance Best Practices

Securing Network Communications

Configure SQL Server to use encrypted connections to protect data as it travels across the network.

• Enabling Encrypted Connections

Code Examples and Tutorials

Practical examples to help you implement security features effectively.

-- Example: Creating a fixed database role
USE YourDatabase;
GO
CREATE ROLE ReadOnlyRole;
GO
GRANT SELECT TO ReadOnlyRole;
GO

-- Example: Granting specific permissions to a login
USE YourDatabase;
GO
CREATE LOGIN NewLogin WITH PASSWORD = 'StrongPassword123!';
GO
CREATE USER NewUser FOR LOGIN NewLogin;
GO
ALTER ROLE db_datareader ADD MEMBER NewUser;
GO