Check ID: sqlserver_va_emails_notifications_admins_enabled
Provider: Azure
Service: sqlserver
Severity: MEDIUM
Categories: vulnerabilities
Resource type: microsoft.sql/servers

What this check verifies

Azure SQL Server Vulnerability Assessment configuration, specifically whether recurring scans are set to email results to subscription admins/owners via Also send email notifications to admins and subscription owners.

Risk

Without these notifications, findings may go unnoticed, delaying fixes. Prolonged exposure of misconfigurations and weak permissions threatens data confidentiality and integrity, can affect availability, and slows incident response and audit readiness.

Recommendation

Enable VA email alerts for admins/owners (Also send...) so findings reach accountable staff promptly.
  • Route to a monitored security group and SIEM
  • Review recipients regularly; remove stale accounts
  • Apply least privilege and maintain recurring scans for defense in depth

Remediation

az rest --method put --url "https://management.azure.com/subscriptions/<SUBSCRIPTION_ID>/resourceGroups/<RESOURCE_GROUP>/providers/Microsoft.Sql/servers/<SERVER_NAME>/vulnerabilityAssessments/default?api-version=2021-11-01" --body '{"properties":{"storageContainerPath":"https://<STORAGE_ACCOUNT>.blob.core.windows.net/<CONTAINER>","storageAccountAccessKey":"<STORAGE_KEY>","recurringScans":{"isEnabled":true,"emailSubscriptionAdmins":true}}}'

References

Where this check fires

This check runs on every scheduled scan against your Azure account. Findings appear at Cloud Security → Findings filterable by Check ID = sqlserver_va_emails_notifications_admins_enabled. To re-evaluate after a fix, hit Run now on the account’s schedule under Cloud Security → Schedules — the next scan re-checks this control and marks the finding fixed or keeps it persistent.
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