Control: 6.3.7 Ensure that the 'contained database authentication' database flag for Cloud SQL on the SQL Server instance is set to 'off'

Description

It is recommended to set contained database authentication database flag for Cloud SQL on the SQL Server instance is set to off.

A contained database includes all database settings and metadata required to define the database and has no configuration dependencies on the instance of the Database Engine where the database is installed. Users can connect to the database without authenticating a login at the Database Engine level. Isolating the database from the Database Engine makes it possible to easily move the database to another instance of SQL Server.

Contained databases have some unique threats that should be understood and mitigated by SQL Server Database Engine administrators. Most of the threats are related to the USER WITH PASSWORD authentication process, which moves the authentication boundary from the Database Engine level to the database level, hence this is recommended to disable this flag.

Remediation

This recommendation is applicable to SQL Server database instances.

From Console

1. Login in to Cloud SQL Instances
2. Select the SQL Server instance for which you want to enable to database flag.
3. Under Configuration section
4. Scroll down to the Database flags section. Click on Edit Configurations
5. In the edit page, navigate to Flags and Parameters section
6. To set a flag that has not been set on the instance before, click Add item, choose the flag contained database authentication from the drop-down menu, and set its value to off.
7. Click Save to save your changes.
8. Confirm your changes under Flags on the Overview page.

Note: Any changes to the database flag values, may require your instance to be restarted

From Command Line

1. List all Cloud SQL database Instances

gcloud sql instances list

2. Configure the required database flag for every Cloud SQL SQL Server database instance using the below command.

gcloud sql instances patch INSTANCE_NAME --database-flags "contained database authentication=off"

Note: This command will overwrite all database flags previously set. To keep those and add new ones, include the values for all flags you want set on the instance; any flag not specifically included is set to its default value. For flags that do not take a value, specify the flag name followed by an equals sign ("=").