Control: 4.2.3 Ensure that VA setting Periodic Recurring Scans is enabled on a SQL server

Description

It is recommended to enable Vulnerability Assessment (VA) Periodic recurring scans for critical SQL servers and corresponding SQL databases.

VA setting Periodic recurring scans schedules periodic (weekly) vulnerability scanning. Periodic and regular vulnerability scanning provides risk visibility based on updated known vulnerability signatures and best practices.

Enabling Azure Defender for SQL enables Periodic recurring scans by default but does not configure the Storage account.

Remediation

From Console

1. Login to Azure console and navigate to SQL Servers.
2. For each server instance, go to Security section from left pane.
3. Click on Security Center.
4. Make sure Enable Azure Defender for SQL is On.
5. Select Configure next to Azure Defender for SQL: Enabled at the server-level.
6. In section VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT SETTINGS, select subscription and storage account.
7. Set Periodic recurring scans to ON.
8. Click Save.

From PowerShell

Enable Azure Defender for a SQL if not enabled

Set-AZSqlServerThreatDetectionPolicy -ResourceGroupName <resource group name> -ServerName <server name> -EmailAdmins $True

Enable ADS-VA service with Periodic recurring scans

Update-AzSqlServerVulnerabilityAssessmentSetting ` -ResourceGroupName "<resource group name>"`
-ServerName "<Server Name>"`
-StorageAccountName "<Storage Name from same subscription and same Location" `
-ScanResultsContainerName "vulnerability-assessment" ` -RecurringScansInterval Weekly `
-EmailSubscriptionAdmins $true `
-NotificationEmail @("mail1@mail.com" , "mail2@mail.com")