Crunchy Data PostgreSQL STIG

Crunchy Data PostgreSQL Security Technical Implementation Guide

The Crunchy Data PostgreSQL Security Technical Implementation Guide (V3 R2) has 113 STIG checks. New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist?, CKL vs CKLB, and STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

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Severity

Version

V3 · R2

CurrentPublished Wed Jul 01 2026

PostgreSQL must provide the means for individuals in authorized roles to change the auditing to be performed on all application components, based on all selectable event criteria within organization-defined time thresholds.

Crunchy Data PostgreSQL Security Technical Implementation Guide

Assessment Title

Rule Text

PostgreSQL must provide the means for individuals in authorized roles to change the auditing to be performed on all application components, based on all selectable event criteria within organization-defined time thresholds.

Description

Discussion Text

If authorized individuals do not have the ability to modify auditing parameters in response to a changing threat environment, the organization may not be able to effectively respond, and important forensic information may be lost.

This requirement enables organizations to extend or limit auditing as necessary to meet organizational requirements. Auditing that is limited to conserve information system resources may be extended to address certain threat situations. In addition, auditing may be limited to a specific set of events to facilitate audit reduction, analysis, and reporting. Organizations can establish time thresholds in which audit actions are changed, for example, near real time, within minutes, or within hours.

New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist? and CKL vs CKLB.

Objective

V-233600

Rule

SV-233600r961863_rule

Severity

medium

Rule Version

CD12-00-010000

Documentable

false

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Rev 5

Assessment Procedure

Check Text

First, as the database administrator, check if pgaudit is present in shared_preload_libraries:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "SHOW shared_preload_libraries"

If pgaudit is not present in the result from the query, this is a finding.

Implementation Procedure

Fix Text

Note: The following instructions use the PGDATA, PGLOG, and PGVER environment variables. See supplementary content APPENDIX-F for instructions on configuring PGDATA, APPENDIX-H for PGVER, and APPENDIX-I for PGLOG.

To ensure logging is enabled, review supplementary content APPENDIX-C for instructions on enabling logging.

For audit logging using pgaudit is recommended. For instructions on how to setup pgaudit, see supplementary content APPENDIX-B.

As a superuser (postgres), any pgaudit parameter can be changed in postgresql.conf. Configurations can only be changed by a superuser.

### Example: Change Auditing To Log Any ROLE Statements

Note: This will override any setting already configured.

Alter the configuration to do role-based logging:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ vi ${PGDATA?}/postgresql.conf

Add the following parameters (or edit existing parameters):

pgaudit.log = 'role'

Now, as the system administrator, reload the server with the new configuration:

$ sudo systemctl reload postgresql-${PGVER?}

### Example: Set An Auditing Role And Grant Privileges

An audit role can be configured and granted privileges to specific tables and columns that need logging.

##### Create Test Table

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "CREATE TABLE public.stig_audit_example(id INT, name TEXT, password TEXT);"

##### Define Auditing Role

As PostgreSQL superuser (such as postgres), add the following to postgresql.conf or any included configuration files.

$ sudo su - postgres
$ vi ${PGDATA?}/postgresql.conf

Add the following parameters (or edit existing parameters):

pgaudit.role = 'auditor'

Now, as the system administrator, reload the server with the new configuration:

$ sudo systemctl reload postgresql-${PGVER?} 

Next in PostgreSQL create a new role:

postgres=# CREATE ROLE auditor;
postgres=# GRANT select(password) ON public.stig_audit_example TO auditor;

Note: This role is created with NOLOGIN privileges by default.

Now any SELECT on the column password will be logged:

$ sudo su - postgres
$ psql -c "SELECT password FROM public.stig_audit_example;"
$ cat ${PGDATA?}/${PGLOG?}/<latest_log>
< 2016-01-28 16:46:09.038 UTC bob postgres: >LOG: AUDIT: OBJECT,6,1,READ,SELECT,TABLE,public.stig_audit_example,SELECT password FROM stig_audit_example;,<none>

## Change Configurations During A Specific Timeframe

Deploy PostgreSQL that allows audit configuration changes to take effect within the timeframe required by the application owner and without involving actions or events that the application owner rules unacceptable.

Crontab can be used to do this.

For a specific audit role:

# Grant specific audit privileges to an auditing role at 5 PM every day of the week, month, year at the 0 minute mark.
0 5 * * * postgres /usr/bin/psql -c "GRANT select(password) ON public.stig_audit_example TO auditor;"
# Revoke specific audit privileges to an auditing role at 5 PM every day of the week, month, year at the 0 minute mark.
0 17 * * * postgres /usr/bin/psql -c "REVOKE select(password) ON public.stig_audit_example FROM auditor;"

STIG check 89 of 113 in the Crunchy Data PostgreSQL STIG checklist

← Previous · V-233599The system must provide a warning to appropriate support staff when allocated audit record storage volume reaches 75 percent of maximum audit record storage capacity.Next · V-233601 →PostgreSQL must require users to reauthenticate when organization-defined circumstances or situations require reauthentication.