About This Page
This page is part of the Azure documentation. It contains code examples and configuration instructions for working with Azure services.
Bias Analysis
Bias Types:
⚠️
windows_first
⚠️
powershell_heavy
⚠️
windows_tools
⚠️
missing_linux_example
Summary:
The documentation demonstrates a Windows bias in several areas: Windows tools and technologies (PowerShell, WMI, WinRM) are mentioned more prominently and with more detail than their Linux equivalents. Windows requirements and examples (such as SQL Server discovery and authentication) are provided in depth, while Linux support is often limited, less detailed, or explicitly not supported (e.g., SQL Server discovery on Linux). Where both platforms are supported, Windows is usually listed first and with more comprehensive instructions. There are also missing Linux-specific examples, particularly for tasks like SQL Server discovery and web app discovery.
Recommendations:
- Provide equivalent Linux-focused examples and instructions wherever Windows examples are given, especially for authentication, credential setup, and agent installation.
- When listing supported operating systems or requirements, alternate the order or group Windows and Linux together to avoid always listing Windows first.
- Expand documentation for Linux-specific tools and patterns (e.g., Bash, SSH, Linux package requirements) to match the detail given for Windows (e.g., PowerShell, WMI).
- Where a feature is not supported on Linux (e.g., SQL Server discovery), clearly state the limitation and, if possible, provide workarounds or roadmap information.
- Include Linux-specific troubleshooting, configuration, and permission guidance (e.g., sudoers configuration, SELinux/AppArmor considerations, systemd service requirements) alongside Windows guidance.
- For web app discovery, provide parity in instructions and examples for Linux-based stacks (e.g., Apache, Nginx, Tomcat) similar to the detail for IIS/ASP.NET on Windows.
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Flagged Code Snippets
-- Create a login to run the assessment
use master;
DECLARE @SID NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';
CREATE LOGIN [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT] FROM WINDOWS;
SELECT @SID = N'0x'+CONVERT(NVARCHAR, sid, 2) FROM sys.syslogins where name = 'MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT'
IF (ISNULL(@SID,'') != '')
PRINT N'Created login [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT] with SID = ' + @SID
ELSE
PRINT N'Login creation failed'
GO
-- Create user in every database other than tempdb, model, and secondary AG databases (with connection_type = ALL) and provide minimal read-only permissions.
USE master;
EXECUTE sp_MSforeachdb '
USE [?];
IF (''?'' NOT IN (''tempdb'',''model''))
BEGIN
DECLARE @is_secondary_replica BIT = 0;
IF CAST(PARSENAME(CAST(SERVERPROPERTY(''ProductVersion'') AS VARCHAR), 4) AS INT) >= 11
BEGIN
DECLARE @innersql NVARCHAR(MAX);
SET @innersql = N''
SELECT @is_secondary_replica = IIF(
EXISTS (
SELECT 1
FROM sys.availability_replicas a
INNER JOIN sys.dm_hadr_database_replica_states b
ON a.replica_id = b.replica_id
WHERE b.is_local = 1
AND b.is_primary_replica = 0
AND a.secondary_role_allow_connections = 2
AND b.database_id = DB_ID()
), 1, 0
);
'';
EXEC sp_executesql @innersql, N''@is_secondary_replica BIT OUTPUT'', @is_secondary_replica OUTPUT;
END
IF (@is_secondary_replica = 0)
BEGIN
CREATE USER [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT] FOR LOGIN [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON sys.sql_expression_dependencies TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT VIEW DATABASE STATE TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
END
END'
GO
-- Provide server level read-only permissions
use master;
GRANT SELECT ON sys.sql_expression_dependencies TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT EXECUTE ON OBJECT::sys.xp_regenumkeys TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT EXECUTE ON OBJECT::sys.xp_instance_regread TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT VIEW DATABASE STATE TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT VIEW SERVER STATE TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT VIEW ANY DEFINITION TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GO
-- Provide msdb specific permissions
use msdb;
GRANT EXECUTE ON [msdb].[dbo].[agent_datetime] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysjobsteps] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[syssubsystems] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysjobhistory] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[syscategories] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysjobs] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysmaintplan_plans] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[syscollector_collection_sets] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysmail_profile] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysmail_profileaccount] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysmail_account] TO [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
GO
-- Clean up
--use master;
-- EXECUTE sp_MSforeachdb 'USE [?]; DROP USER [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT]'
-- DROP LOGIN [MYDOMAIN\MYACCOUNT];
--GO
--- Create a login to run the assessment
use master;
-- NOTE: SQL instances that host replicas of Always On availability groups must use the same SID for the SQL login.
-- After the account is created in one of the members, copy the SID output from the script and include this value
-- when executing against the remaining replicas.
-- When the SID needs to be specified, add the value to the @SID variable definition below.
DECLARE @SID NVARCHAR(MAX) = N'';
IF (@SID = N'')
BEGIN
CREATE LOGIN [evaluator]
WITH PASSWORD = '<provide a strong password>'
END
ELSE
BEGIN
DECLARE @SQLString NVARCHAR(500) = 'CREATE LOGIN [evaluator]
WITH PASSWORD = ''<provide a strong password>''
, SID = ' + @SID
EXEC SP_EXECUTESQL @SQLString
END
SELECT @SID = N'0x'+CONVERT(NVARCHAR(100), sid, 2) FROM sys.syslogins where name = 'evaluator'
IF (ISNULL(@SID,'') != '')
PRINT N'Created login [evaluator] with SID = '''+ @SID +'''. If this instance hosts any Always On Availability Group replica, use this SID value when executing the script against the instances hosting the other replicas'
ELSE
PRINT N'Login creation failed'
GO
-- Create user in every database other than tempdb, model, and secondary AG databases (with connection_type = ALL) and provide minimal read-only permissions.
USE master;
EXECUTE sp_MSforeachdb '
USE [?];
IF (''?'' NOT IN (''tempdb'',''model''))
BEGIN
DECLARE @is_secondary_replica BIT = 0;
IF CAST(PARSENAME(CAST(SERVERPROPERTY(''ProductVersion'') AS VARCHAR), 4) AS INT) >= 11
BEGIN
DECLARE @innersql NVARCHAR(MAX);
SET @innersql = N''
SELECT @is_secondary_replica = IIF(
EXISTS (
SELECT 1
FROM sys.availability_replicas a
INNER JOIN sys.dm_hadr_database_replica_states b
ON a.replica_id = b.replica_id
WHERE b.is_local = 1
AND b.is_primary_replica = 0
AND a.secondary_role_allow_connections = 2
AND b.database_id = DB_ID()
), 1, 0
);
'';
EXEC sp_executesql @innersql, N''@is_secondary_replica BIT OUTPUT'', @is_secondary_replica OUTPUT;
END
IF (@is_secondary_replica = 0)
BEGIN
CREATE USER [evaluator] FOR LOGIN [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON sys.sql_expression_dependencies TO [evaluator];
GRANT VIEW DATABASE STATE TO [evaluator];
END
END'
GO
-- Provide server level read-only permissions
USE master;
GRANT SELECT ON sys.sql_expression_dependencies TO [evaluator];
GRANT EXECUTE ON OBJECT::sys.xp_regenumkeys TO [evaluator];
GRANT EXECUTE ON OBJECT::sys.xp_instance_regread TO [evaluator];
GRANT VIEW DATABASE STATE TO [evaluator];
GRANT VIEW SERVER STATE TO [evaluator];
GRANT VIEW ANY DEFINITION TO [evaluator];
GO
-- Provide msdb specific permissions
USE msdb;
GRANT EXECUTE ON [msdb].[dbo].[agent_datetime] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysjobsteps] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[syssubsystems] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysjobhistory] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[syscategories] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysjobs] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysmaintplan_plans] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[syscollector_collection_sets] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysmail_profile] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysmail_profileaccount] TO [evaluator];
GRANT SELECT ON [msdb].[dbo].[sysmail_account] TO [evaluator];
GO
-- Clean up
--use master;
-- EXECUTE sp_MSforeachdb 'USE [?]; BEGIN TRY DROP USER [evaluator] END TRY BEGIN CATCH PRINT ERROR_MESSAGE() END CATCH;'
-- BEGIN TRY DROP LOGIN [evaluator] END TRY BEGIN CATCH PRINT ERROR_MESSAGE() END CATCH;
--GO