SQL Server security spans seven connected areas: authentication and the principals/permissions model that controls access, contained databases for portability, built-in accounts like sa and dbo, data encryption, the catalog views and functions used to audit security state, and tools like SQL Vulnerability Assessment for finding weaknesses.

This guide collects Robert Sheldon’s series on all seven, each with working T-SQL examples, in the order below — start with the overview if you’re new to SQL Server security, or jump to the topic you need.

These guides were originally written and published in 2018/2019.

SQL Server

Robert Sheldon in SQL Server

SQL Server Security Tools: Vulnerability Assessment & Config

How to use SQL Server Configuration Manager, sp_configure, Vulnerability Assessment, and Data Discovery & Classification to harden an instance.…

29 May 2019 15 min read

SQL Server

Robert Sheldon in SQL Server

SQL Server Security Catalog Views, DMVs & Functions

The key SQL Server catalog views, DMVs, and system functions for auditing permissions, encryption, and logins — with T-SQL query…

23 April 2019 21 min read

SQL Server

Robert Sheldon in SQL Server

SQL Server Built-In Accounts: sa, dbo, guest & sys

What SQL Server’s built-in principals (sa, public, dbo, guest, sys, INFORMATION_SCHEMA) do by default, and how to check or change…

26 March 2019 18 min read

Databases

Robert Sheldon in Databases

SQL Server Contained Databases: Users & Portability

How SQL Server’s partially contained databases work — creating contained users, duplicating them across databases, and unlinking users from logins.…

25 February 2019 15 min read

SQL Server

Robert Sheldon in SQL Server

SQL Server Access Control: Logins, Roles & Permissions

How to create SQL Server logins, roles, and database users, then grant, deny, and revoke permissions on them with T-SQL…

28 January 2019 24 min read

SQL Server

Robert Sheldon in SQL Server

SQL Server Security Overview: Authentication to Encryption

An overview of SQL Server’s security toolkit — authentication modes, principals/permissions, encryption, auditing, and vulnerability tools.…

31 December 2018 15 min read

SQL Server

Robert Sheldon in SQL Server

SQL Server Permissions: Principals, Securables & Roles

How SQL Server principals, securables, and permissions work together — logins, users, roles, and GRANT/DENY/REVOKE — with T-SQL examples.…

02 August 2016 18 min read