Remote Access

The Remote Access setting in SQL Server is a configuration option that allows stored procedures to be executed from local or remote servers. When this setting is enabled, it can potentially be exploited to launch attacks on remote servers by overwhelming them with large amounts of processing requests.

To enable remote server access, the remote access option must be set to 1 on both the local and remote computers. This can be done using either the Transact-SQL sp_configure stored procedure or SQL Server Management Studio.

Suggested Action

Disabling Remote Access in SQL Server can help reduce the attack surface and improve security. When this setting is enabled, it can potentially be exploited to launch attacks on remote servers by overwhelming them with large amounts of processing requests. By disabling Remote Access, you can prevent these types of attacks from occurring.

If you need to execute stored procedures on remote servers, there are other options available that do not require enabling Remote Access. For example, you could use Linked Servers or Service Broker to securely communicate with remote servers.

How to Disable/Reset Remote Access

EXEC sys.sp_configure @configname=N'show advanced options', @configvalue=N'1';
RECONFIGURE;
GO
EXEC sp_configure 'remote access', 0;
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE;
GO
EXEC sys.sp_configure @configname=N'show advanced options', @configvalue=N'0';
RECONFIGURE;
GO

Further Reading

​Configure the Remote Access Server Configuration Option | Microsoft Learn