Security Administration Guide

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Sybase SQL ServerTMSecurity Administration Guide

Chapter 1: Overview of Security Functions Provided by SQL Server

Security Administration Guide

Preface

This manual, the Security Administration Guide, describes how to administer security for Sybase SQL Server^TM release 11.0. The manual explains how to use the security features provided by SQL Server to control user access to data.

Note that this manual is the primary component of the Trusted Facility Manual (TFM), designed to meet the Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) requirements. Other components are:

SQL Server installation and configuration guide
SQL Server System Administration Guide

For information about these manuals, see "Related Documents".

Audience

This manual is intended for users who are administering SQL Server. The audience includes administrators who are concerned about adding users to the server, granting database access to users, establishing initial passwords, and administering auditing.

The manual assumes that readers have a general understanding of security and database administration but need to understand and administer the security features provided by SQL Server.

Note that this manual is not addressed to the general, non-administrative user with no special roles or privileges. The Security Features User's Guide, which is addressed to all users of SQL Server, provides instructions and guidelines for using the server in a secure manner.

How to Use This Book

This manual contains these chapters:

Chapter 1, "Overview of Security Functions Provided by SQL Server," provides an overview of the security features that are available with SQL Server and directs you to the chapter where each feature is discussed in detail. The overview also introduces the Trusted Computing Base (TCB) and its interface to users and client processes.
Chapter 2, "Overall Process of Security Administration," provides an overall process for administering security and shows you where to read about each task.
Chapter 3, "Getting Started After Installation," provides guidelines for setting up a secure operating environment after you have installed SQL Server.
Chapter 4, "Managing SQL Server Logins and Database Users," describes methods for administering SQL Server login accounts and controlling user access to databases.
Chapter 5, "Roles in SQL Server," lists the special roles supported by SQL Server and describes how to assign these roles to individual users.
Chapter 6, "Managing User Permissions," describes the discretionary access control (DAC) functions provided by SQL Server. The chapter describes how to use the grant and revoke commands to specify whether users or groups can access particular database objects and to specify which commands or database operations are available to individual users.
Chapter 7, "Managing Remote Servers," discusses the security implications of remote procedure calls (RPCs) and how to manage user access to procedures on remote servers.
Chapter 8, "Auditing," explains how to record security-related system activity in an audit trail, how to use the audit trail to detect unauthorized access, and how to maintain the audit trail.

Conventions Used in This Manual

Formatting SQL Statements

SQL is a free-form language: there are no rules about the number of words you can put on a line, or where you must break a line. However, for readability, all examples and syntax statements in this manual are formatted so that each clause of a statement begins on a new line. Clauses that have more than one part extend to additional lines, which are indented.

SQL Syntax Conventions

The conventions for syntax statements in this manual are as follows:

Table 1: Syntax statement conventions
Key
Definition
command
Command names, command option names, utility names, utility flags, and other keywords are in bold Helvetica in paragraph text and bold courier in syntax statements.
variable
Variables, or words that stand for values that you fill in, are in italics.
{ }
Curly braces indicate that you choose at least one of the enclosed options. Do not include braces in your option.
[ ]
Brackets mean that choosing one or more of the enclosed options is optional. Do not include brackets in your option.
( )
Parentheses are to be typed as part of the command.
|
The vertical bar means you may select only one of the options shown.
,
The comma means you may choose as many of the options shown as you like, separating your choices with commas that are to be typed as part of the command.

**Table 1: Syntax statement conventions**
Key	Definition
command	Command names, command option names, utility names, utility flags, and other keywords are in bold Helvetica in paragraph text and bold courier in syntax statements.
variable	Variables, or words that stand for values that you fill in, are in italics.
{ }	Curly braces indicate that you choose at least one of the enclosed options. Do not include braces in your option.
[ ]	Brackets mean that choosing one or more of the enclosed options is optional. Do not include brackets in your option.
( )	Parentheses are to be typed as part of the command.
\|	The vertical bar means you may select only one of the options shown.
,	The comma means you may choose as many of the options shown as you like, separating your choices with commas that are to be typed as part of the command.

Syntax statements (displaying the syntax and all options for a command) are printed like this:
```
sp_dropdevice [device_name]
```
or, for a command with more options:
```
select column_name 
    from table_name 
    where search_conditions 
```
In syntax statements, keywords (commands) are in non-italic font, and identifiers are in lowercase: non-italic font for keywords, italics for user-supplied words.
Examples showing the use of Transact-SQL commands are printed like this:
```
select * from publishers
```

Examples of output from the computer are printed like this:

pub_id  pub_name              city       state 
------- --------------------- --------   ----
0736    New Age Books         Boston     MA 
0877    Binnet & Hardley      Washington DC 
1389    Algodata Infosystems  Berkeley   CA 

(3 rows affected)

Case

You can disregard case when you type keywords:

SELECT is the same as Select is the same as select

Obligatory Options {You Must Choose At Least One}

Curly braces and vertical bars: Choose one and only one option.
```
{die_on_your_feet | live_on_your_knees |
live_on_your_feet}
```
Curly braces and commas: Choose one or more options. If you choose more than one, separate your choices with commas.
```
{cash, check, credit}
```

Optional Options [You Don't Have to Choose Any]

One item in square brackets: You don't have to choose it.
```
[anchovies]
```
Square brackets and vertical bars: Choose none or only one.
```
[beans | rice | sweet_potatoes]
```
Square brackets and commas: Choose none, one, or more than one option. If you choose more than one, separate your choices with commas.
```
[extra_cheese, avocados, sour_cream]
```

Ellipsis: Do it Again (and Again)...

An ellipsis (. . .) means that you can repeat the last unit as many times as you like. In this syntax statement, buy is a required keyword:

buy thing = price [cash | check | credit] 
    [, thing = price [cash | check | credit] ]...

You must buy at least one thing and give its price. You may choose a method of payment: one of the items enclosed in square brackets. You may also choose to buy additional things: as many of them as you like. For each thing you buy, give its name, its price, and (optionally) a method of payment.

Expressions

Several different types of expressions are used in SQL Server syntax statements.

Table 2: Types of expressions used in syntax statements
Usage
Definition
expression
Can include constants, literals, functions, column identifiers, variables, or parameters
logical expression
An expression that returns TRUE, FALSE, or UNKNOWN
constant expression
An expression that always returns the same value, such as "5+3" or "ABCDE"
float_expr
Any floating-point expression or expression that implicitly converts to a floating value
integer_expr
Any integer expression, or an expression that implicitly converts to an integer value
numeric_expr
Any numeric expression that returns a single value
char_expr
An expression that returns a single character-type value
binary_expression
An expression that returns a single binary or varbinary value

**Table 2: Types of expressions used in syntax statements**
Usage	Definition
expression	Can include constants, literals, functions, column identifiers, variables, or parameters
logical expression	An expression that returns TRUE, FALSE, or UNKNOWN
constant expression	An expression that always returns the same value, such as "5+3" or "ABCDE"
float_expr	Any floating-point expression or expression that implicitly converts to a floating value
integer_expr	Any integer expression, or an expression that implicitly converts to an integer value
numeric_expr	Any numeric expression that returns a single value
char_expr	An expression that returns a single character-type value
binary_expression	An expression that returns a single binary or varbinary value

If You Need Help

Help with your Sybase software is available in the form of documentation and Sybase Technical Support.

Each Sybase installation has a designated person who may contact Technical Support. If you cannot resolve your problem using the manuals, ask the designated person at your site to contact Sybase Technical Support.


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