Remote Access feature must be disabled, unless specifically required and approved.

From MS SQL Server 2016 Instance Security Technical Implementation Guide

Part of SRG-APP-000141-DB-000093

Associated with: CCI-000381

SV-94043r1_rule Remote Access feature must be disabled, unless specifically required and approved.

Vulnerability discussion

Information systems are capable of providing a wide variety of functions and services. Some of the functions and services, provided by default, may not be necessary to support essential organizational operations (e.g., key missions, functions). It is detrimental for applications to provide, or install by default, functionality exceeding requirements or mission objectives. Applications must adhere to the principles of least functionality by providing only essential capabilities.SQL Server may spawn additional external processes to execute procedures that are defined in the SQL Server but stored in external host files (external procedures). The spawned process used to execute the external procedure may operate within a different OS security context than SQL Server and provide unauthorized access to the host system.SQL Server is capable of providing a wide range of features and services. Some of the features and services, provided by default, may not be necessary, and enabling them could adversely affect the security of the system.The Remote Access option controls the execution of local stored procedures on remote servers or remote stored procedures on local server.  'Remote access' functionality can be abused to launch a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack on remote servers by off-loading query processing to a target.

Check content

To determine if "Remote Access" option is enabled, execute the following query: EXEC SP_CONFIGURE 'show advanced options', '1'; RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE; EXEC SP_CONFIGURE 'remote access'; If the value of "config_value" is "0", this is not a finding. If the value of "config_value" is "1", review the system documentation to determine whether the use of "Remote Access" is required (linked servers) and authorized. If it is not authorized, this is a finding.

Fix text

Disable use of or remove any external application executable object definitions that are not authorized. To disable the use of "Remote Access" option, from the query prompt:  sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1; GO RECONFIGURE; GO sp_configure 'remote access', 0; GO RECONFIGURE; GO

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