SQL Server Audits and Action_IDs

We were recently re-doing our SQL Server Audits and I was reminded again how painful setting the filters can be. MS expects an integer for “action_id”, but to actually use, them you need to know what those actually mean.

I came across this blog post by Chris Provolt listing the text versions of the action_id’s. That was helpful, especially the quick query to see what’s available:

Select DISTINCT action_id,name,class_desc,parent_class_desc from sys.dm_audit_actions

However, as you can tell by running this, the action_id’s returned are all text values. That doesn’t help when trying to set up your SQL Audits.

MSDN provides code for a function to translate the text audit_id into the expected numeric value.

CREATE FUNCTION dbo.Getint_action_id (@action_id VARCHAR(4))
returns INT
BEGIN
DECLARE @x INT;

SET @x = CONVERT(INT, CONVERT(VARBINARY(1), Upper(
Substring(@action_id, 1, 1))));

IF Len(@action_id) >= 2
SET @x = CONVERT(INT, CONVERT(VARBINARY(1), Upper(
Substring(@action_id, 2, 1))
))
* Power(
2, 8) + @x;
ELSE
SET @x = CONVERT(INT, CONVERT(VARBINARY(1), ‘ ‘)) * Power(2, 8) + @x;

IF Len(@action_id) >= 3
SET @x = CONVERT(INT, CONVERT(VARBINARY(1), Upper(
Substring(@action_id, 3, 1))
))
* Power(
2, 16) + @x;
ELSE
SET @x = CONVERT(INT, CONVERT(VARBINARY(1), ‘ ‘)) * Power(2, 16) + @x;

IF Len(@action_id) >= 4
SET @x = CONVERT(INT, CONVERT(VARBINARY(1), Upper(
Substring(@action_id, 4, 1))
))
* Power(
2, 24) + @x;
ELSE
SET @x = CONVERT(INT, CONVERT(VARBINARY(1), ‘ ‘)) * Power(2, 24) + @x;

RETURN @x;
END; 

Once you create that function, you can use it to generate a list of the Integer action_ids, the text action_ids, and the name/description of those action_ids. (You can also expand it out to see which actions are applicable to various objects at the server and database level if you so desire.)

SELECT DISTINCT dbo.Getint_action_id(action_id) Action_ID_Int,
action_id, NAME AS Action_Description
–,class_desc,parent_class_desc
FROM   sys.dm_audit_actions
ORDER  BY action_id

This will result in the following values (as of SQL 2012):

Action_ID_Int action_id NAME
1329873729 ACDO DATABASE_OBJECT_ACCESS_GROUP
542065473 ACO SCHEMA_OBJECT_ACCESS_GROUP
1329742913 ADBO BULK ADMIN
1346651201 ADDP DATABASE_ROLE_MEMBER_CHANGE_GROUP
1347634241 ADSP SERVER_ROLE_MEMBER_CHANGE_GROUP
538987585 AL ALTER
1313033281 ALCN ALTER CONNECTION
1397902401 ALRS ALTER RESOURCES
1397967937 ALSS ALTER SERVER STATE
1414745153 ALST ALTER SETTINGS
1381256257 ALTR ALTER TRACE
1280462913 APRL ADD MEMBER
538989377 AS ACCESS
1129534785 AUSC AUDIT SESSION CHANGED
1179866433 AUSF AUDIT SHUTDOWN ON FAILURE
1213486401 AUTH AUTHENTICATE
538984770 BA BACKUP
541868354 BAL BACKUP LOG
1111773762 BRDB BACKUP_RESTORE_GROUP
1179595331 C2OF TRACE AUDIT C2OFF
1313813059 C2ON TRACE AUDIT C2ON
1196180291 CCLG CHANGE LOGIN CREDENTIAL
1196182851 CMLG CREDENTIAL MAP TO LOGIN
1430343235 CNAU AUDIT_CHANGE_GROUP
538988355 CO CONNECT
538988611 CP CHECKPOINT
538989123 CR CREATE
538976324 D DENY
1179074884 DAGF FAILED_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP
1279738180 DAGL DATABASE_LOGOUT_GROUP
1397178692 DAGS SUCCESSFUL_DATABASE_AUTHENTICATION_GROUP
1178681924 DBAF DATABASE AUTHENTICATION FAILED
1396785732 DBAS DATABASE AUTHENTICATION SUCCEEDED
1128481348 DBCC DBCC
1195590212 DBCG DBCC_GROUP
541868612 DBL DATABASE LOGOUT
538987588 DL DELETE
1280462916 DPRL DROP MEMBER
538989124 DR DROP
541284164 DWC DENY WITH CASCADE
538990661 EX EXECUTE
538989638 FT FULLTEXT
541545542 FTG FULLTEXT_GROUP
538976327 G GRANT
1111773767 GRDB DATABASE_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP
1329877575 GRDO DATABASE_OBJECT_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP
542069319 GRO SCHEMA_OBJECT_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP
1330860615 GRSO SERVER_OBJECT_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP
1448301127 GRSV SERVER_PERMISSION_CHANGE_GROUP
541546311 GWG GRANT WITH GRANT
1346653513 IMDP DATABASE_PRINCIPAL_IMPERSONATION_GROUP
542133577 IMP IMPERSONATE
1347636553 IMSP SERVER_PRINCIPAL_IMPERSONATION_GROUP
538988105 IN INSERT
541214540 LGB BROKER LOGIN
1195525964 LGBG BROKER_LOGIN_GROUP
1094993740 LGDA DISABLE
1111770956 LGDB CHANGE DEFAULT DATABASE
1095059276 LGEA ENABLE
1279674188 LGFL FAILED_LOGIN_GROUP
1179207500 LGIF LOGIN FAILED
1397311308 LGIS LOGIN SUCCEEDED
1196181324 LGLG CHANGE DEFAULT LANGUAGE
541935436 LGM DATABASE MIRRORING LOGIN
1196246860 LGMG DATABASE_MIRRORING_LOGIN_GROUP
1296975692 LGNM NAME CHANGE
542066508 LGO LOGOUT
1146308428 LGSD SUCCESSFUL_LOGIN_GROUP
538988364 LO LOGOUT_GROUP
1111772749 MNDB DATABASE_CHANGE_GROUP
1329876557 MNDO DATABASE_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP
1346653773 MNDP DATABASE_PRINCIPAL_CHANGE_GROUP
542068301 MNO SCHEMA_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP
1330859597 MNSO SERVER_OBJECT_CHANGE_GROUP
1347636813 MNSP SERVER_PRINCIPAL_CHANGE_GROUP
1196182862 NMLG NO CREDENTIAL MAP TO LOGIN
538988623 OP OPEN
1111773263 OPDB DATABASE_OPERATION_GROUP
1448300623 OPSV SERVER_OPERATION_GROUP
1380013904 PWAR APPLICATION_ROLE_CHANGE_PASSWORD_GROUP
541284176 PWC CHANGE PASSWORD
1195595600 PWCG LOGIN_CHANGE_PASSWORD_GROUP
1396922192 PWCS CHANGE OWN PASSWORD
1480939344 PWEX PASSWORD EXPIRATION
1129142096 PWMC MUST CHANGE PASSWORD
1280333648 PWPL PASSWORD POLICY
542267216 PWR RESET PASSWORD
1397905232 PWRS RESET OWN PASSWORD
542463824 PWU UNLOCK ACCOUNT
538976338 R REVOKE
538985298 RC RECEIVE
538986066 RF REFERENCES
538989394 RS RESTORE
541284178 RWC REVOKE WITH CASCADE
541546322 RWG REVOKE WITH GRANT
538987603 SL SELECT
538988115 SN SEND
1313624147 SPLN SHOW PLAN
1448301651 STSV SERVER_STATE_CHANGE_GROUP
1313953107 SUQN SUBSCRIBE QUERY NOTIFICATION
1313035859 SVCN SERVER CONTINUE
1146115667 SVPD SERVER PAUSED
1146312275 SVSD SERVER SHUTDOWN
1381193299 SVSR SERVER STARTED
1095975252 TASA TRACE AUDIT START
1347633492 TASP TRACE AUDIT STOP
538988372 TO TAKE OWNERSHIP
1111773012 TODB DATABASE_OWNERSHIP_CHANGE_GROUP
1329876820 TODO DATABASE_OBJECT_OWNERSHIP_CHANGE_GROUP
542068564 TOO SCHEMA_OBJECT_OWNERSHIP_CHANGE_GROUP
1330859860 TOSO SERVER_OBJECT_OWNERSHIP_CHANGE_GROUP
1195594324 TRCG TRACE_CHANGE_GROUP
542069332 TRO TRANSFER
1346847573 UCGP USER_CHANGE_PASSWORD_GROUP
1195459669 UDAG USER_DEFINED_AUDIT_GROUP
1430340693 UDAU USER DEFINED AUDIT
538988629 UP UPDATE
1178686293 USAF CHANGE USERS LOGIN AUTO
1196184405 USLG CHANGE USERS LOGIN
1129599829 USTC COPY PASSWORD
1414743126 VDST VIEW DATABASE STATE
1414746966 VSST VIEW SERVER STATE
1413699414 VWCT VIEW CHANGETRACKING
538984792 XA EXTERNAL ACCESS ASSEMBLY
538989912 XU UNSAFE ASSEMBLY

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