Ensure 'Remote Admin Connections' Server Configuration Option is set to '0'

MediumLevel 1Automatedmssql

Description

The remote admin connections option controls whether a client application on a remote computer can use the Dedicated Administrator Connection (DAC). The Dedicated Administrator Connection (DAC) lets an administrator access a running server to execute diagnostic functions or Transact-SQL statements, or to troubleshoot problems on the server, even when the server is locked or running in an abnormal state and not responding to a SQL Server Database Engine connection. In a cluster scenario, the administrator may not actually be logged on to the same node that is currently hosting the SQL Server instance and thus is considered "remote". Therefore, this setting should usually be enabled (1) for SQL Server failover clusters; otherwise, it should be disabled (0) which is the default.

How it is checked

Audit method: SQL query

sql_query

sqlcmd -b -h -1 -W -Q "SET NOCOUNT ON; SELECT CASE WHEN CAST(SERVERPROPERTY('IsClustered') AS int) = 1 THEN 'compliant' WHEN EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM sys.configurations WHERE name = 'remote admin connections' AND CAST(value AS int) = 0 AND CAST(value_in_use AS int) = 0) THEN 'compliant' ELSE 'noncompliant' END;"

Expected output: compliant

How it is fixed

Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch

Run the following T-SQL command on non-clustered installations: EXECUTE sp_configure 'remote admin connections', 0; RECONFIGURE; GO

Properties

Operating systems: Any
Tags: mssqlsqlserver-2022
Reference: CIS Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Benchmark v1.3.0 - 2.7 Ensure 'Remote Admin Connections' Server Configuration Option is set to '0'

Check this host

Run this on a machine you are allowed to audit. The scan is read-only.

shell

tmaegis scan --target mssql