MS SQL

This chapter contains an example of a basic Fudo PAM configuration, to monitor MS SQL connections to a remote MS SQL database server.

In this scenario, the user connects to a MS SQL database using individual login and password using SQL Server Management Studio. When establishing the connection with the remote server, Fudo PAM substitutes the login and the password with the previously defined values: fudo/password (authorization modes are described in the User authorization modes section).

Prerequisites

The following description assumes that the system has been already initiated. For more information on the initiation procedure refer to the System initiation topic.

Note

Make sure that the SQL Server has the SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode enabled.

Configuration

Adding a server

Server is a definition of the IT infrastructure resource, which can be accessed over one of the specified protocols.

1. Select Management > Servers.
2. Click Add and select Static server.

3. Provide essential configuration parameters:

Parameter	Value
General
Name	mssql_server
Description
Blocked
Protocol	MS SQL (TDS)
Bind address	Any
Permissions
Granted users
Server addresses
IP address	10.0.150.154
Port	1433

4. Click Save.

Adding a user

User defines a subject entitled to connect to servers within monitored IT infrastructure. Detailed object definition (i.e. unique login and domain combination, full name, email address etc.) enables precise accountability of user actions when login and password are substituted with a shared account login credentials.

1. Select Management > Users.
2. Click Add.
3. Provide essential user information:

Parameter	Value
General
Login	john_smith
Fudo domain
Blocked
Account validity	Indefinite
Role	user
Preferred language	English
Safes
Full name	John Smith
Email	john@smith.com
Organization
Phone
AD Domain
LDAP Base
Permissions
Granted users
Authentication
Authentication failures
Enforce static password complexity
Type	Password
Password	john
Repeat password	john

4. Click Save.

Adding a listener

Listener determines server connection mode (proxy, gateway, transparent, bastion) as well as its specifics.

1. Select Management > Listeners.
2. Click Add.

3. Provide essential configuration parameters:

Parameter	Value
General
Name	MSSQL_proxy
Blocked
Protocol	MS SQL (TDS)
Permissions
Granted users
Connection
Mode	proxy
Local address	10.0.150.150
Port	1433

4. Click Save.

Adding an account

Account defines the privileged account existing on the monitored server. It specifies the actual login credentials, user authentication mode: anonymous (without user authentication), regular (with login credentials substitution) or forward (with login and password forwarding); password changing policy as well as the password changer itself.

1. Select Management > Accounts.
2. Click Add.

3. Provide essential configuration parameters:

Parameter	Value
General
Name	admin_mssql_server
Blocked
Type	regular
Session recording	all
Notes
Data retention
Override global retention settings
Delete session data after	61 days
Permissions
Granted users
Server
Server	mssql_server
Credentials
Domain
Login	fudo
Replace secret with	with password
Password	password
Repeat password	password
Password change policy	Static, without restrictions

4. Click Save.

Defining a safe

Safe directly regulates user access to monitored servers. It specifies available protocols’ features, policies and other details concerning users and servers relations.

1. Select Management > Safes.
2. Click Add.

3. Provide essential configuration parameters:

Parameter	Value
General
Name	mssql_safe
Blocked
Notifications
Login reason
Require approval
Policies
Note access	No access
Protocol functionality
RDP
SSH
VNC

4. Select Users tab.
5. Click Add user.
6. Find John and click ..
7. Click OK.
8. Select Accounts tab.
9. Click Add account.
10. Find the admin_mssql_server object and click ..
11. Click OK.
12. Click in the Listeners column.
13. Find the MSSQL_proxy object and click ..
14. Click OK.
15. Click Save.

Establishing connection with a MS SQL database

1. Start SQL Server Management Studio.
2. Enter previously configured proxy address (10.0.150.150).
3. From the Authentication drop-down list, select SQL Server Authentication.
4. Enter user login and password.
5. Click Connect.

Viewing user session

1. Open a web browser and go to the Fudo PAM administration page.
2. Enter user login and password to log in to Fudo PAM administration panel.

3. Select Management > Sessions.
4. Find John Smith’s session and click i.

Note

Due to the fact that MS SQL Studio may create multiple connections for sending internal queries, the sessions, connected via the TDS layer protocol using MS SQL Studio are getting aggregated by Fudo PAM.

Fudo PAM follows an algorithm that verifies if there is an already connected session on a current node. If the algorithm identifies that the main connection objects (listener, account, server address (server), user, and safe) of the new session are correlating with already existing session, both sessions are aggregated into one.

If the main connection objects of the new session are not correlating with any of already existing sessions, a new session is created.

This makes multiple queries to be grouped within one session. Every query has a unique tag that allows filtering important connections with users’ queries in the Fudo PAM player.

Related topics:

• SQL Server Management Studio
• Quick start - MySQL connection configuration
• Requirements
• Data model