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6.3.5 Set 'remote access' database flag for Cloud SQL on SQL Server instance to 'off' (Automated)​

Profile Applicability​

• Level 1

Description​

Best practices recommend setting remote access database flag for Cloud SQL SQL Server instance to off.

Rationale​

The remote access option controls the execution of stored procedures from local or remote servers on which instances of SQL Server are running. This default value for this option is 1. This grants permission to run local stored procedures from remote servers or remote stored procedures from the local server. To prevent local stored procedures from being run from a remote server or remote stored procedures from being run on the local server, this must be disabled. 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, hence this should be disabled. This recommendation is applicable to SQL Server database instances.

Impact​

Setting custom flags via command line on certain instances will cause all omitted flags to be reset to defaults. This may cause you to lose custom flags and could result in unforeseen complications or instance restarts. Because of this, it is recommended you apply these flags changes during a period of low usage.

Audit​

From Console:

  1. Go to the Cloud SQL Instances page in the Google Cloud Console by visiting https://console.cloud.google.com/sql/instances.
  2. Select the instance to open its Instance Overview page
  3. Ensure the database flag remote access that has been set is listed under the Database flags section.

From Command Line:

  1. Ensure the below command returns off for every Cloud SQL SQL Server database instance
gcloud sql instances list --format=json | jq '.settings.databaseFlags[] | select(.name=="remote access")|.value'

Remediation​

From Console:

  1. Go to the Cloud SQL Instances page in the Google Cloud Console by visiting: https://console.cloud.google.com/sql/instances.
  2. Select the SQL Server instance for which you want to enable to database flag.
  3. Click Edit.
  4. Scroll down to the Flags section.
  5. To set a flag that is new to the instance, click Add item, choose the flag remote access from the drop-down menu, and set its value to off.
  6. Click Save to save your changes.
  7. Confirm your changes under Flags on the Overview page.

From Command Line:

  1. Configure the remote access database flag for every Cloud SQL on SQL Server database instance using the below command:
gcloud sql instances patch <instance_name> --database-flags "remote access=off"
note

This command overwrites all database flags previously set. To keep those and add new ones, include the values for all flags you want set on the instance; any flag not specifically included uses the default value. For flags that do not take a value, specify the flag name followed by an equals sign ("=").

References​

https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/sqlserver/flags
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/configure-the-remote-access-server-configuration-option?view=sql-server-ver15
https://www.stigviewer.com/stig/ms_sql_server_2016_instance/2018-03-09/finding/V-79337

Additional Information​

danger

This patch modifies database flag values, which may require you to restart your instance. The list of supported flags is on this page, along with details of which flags require a restart: https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/sqlserver/flags.

note

Some database flag settings can affect instance availability or stability, and remove the instance from the Cloud SQL Service-Level Agreement (SLA). For information about these flags, see Operational Guidelines.

note

Configuring the preceding flag does not restart the Cloud SQL instance.

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