Wednesday 8 May 2013

How to track failed login attempts in SQL Server


SQL Server Audit allows you to track and monitor Database/Server level events occurs on database engine.For LOGIN events there is a SQL Server audit action group as “FAILED_LOGIN_GROUP”.You can see list of specifications here.

For auditing login attempts you have first create Server Audit.


USE MASTER

GO

CREATE SERVER AUDIT audit_test                                           

TO FILE (FILEPATH = 'C:\Audit')

GO

Now create audit specification against FAILED_LOGIN_GROUP.

CREATE SERVER AUDIT SPECIFICATION audit_test_spec       

FOR SERVER AUDIT [audit_test]

ADD (FAILED_LOGIN_GROUP)

WITH (STATE=ON)

GO

You can see these audits in Object Explorer under Security=>Audits.


 failed login attempts in SQL Server



Now suppose you log on to same instance on that above audit is applied with wrong credentials.

 failed login attempts in SQL Server


Now connect with right credentials. And go to
Object Explorer=> Security=>Audits=> audit_test
Right click on audit_test  and click View Audit Logs



 failed login attempts in SQL Server






In logs you can see various details of Client who have tried to login Database engine.Also a log file has been created to defined destination.

2 comments:

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  2. I like this blog post, I got good information related to audit failed logins in SQL Server through command but I have used this automated tool ( http://www.lepide.com/sql-server-audit/ ) that allows to track specific user activities and operations as per requirement. It's archive audit data and generate reports which are based on audit data and export reports in CSV, PDF and HTML format from the UI of software.

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