Account lockout threshold SQL server logins can configured to use password policies enforced by Windows. Bobcares, as a part of our MSSQL support services offers solutions to all your SQL server queries, no matter how trivial.

SQL Server Account Lockout Policy

Account Lockout Policy is a security system used by SQL Server. If someone tries to log in with a user that does not belong to him and if the Account lockout mechanism is not activated, or even if the wrong password is entered thousands of times. The user will not be locked.

In this way, the attacker will enter the system without anyone knowing. So after a number of wrong password entry attempts are done, it would be a solution to lock the user.

Detecting Locked or Expired Logins

SQL Server logins use password policies enforced by Windows. These policies include rules when passwords expire, the number of invalid passwords that entered before locked out, etc. The T-SQL code shows a query for detecting locked-out accounts.

The accounts that close to lock out and accounts where the expiration date is within the next 5 days.

Windows Policies

Further, configure the Windows Policies that enable login expiration. As well, Lockouts occur with the Group Policy Editor or the Local Security Policy Editor. The below records should enable as required by the organization’s security policy:

• Computer Configuration / Software Settings / Security Settings / Account Policies / Account Lockout Policy:
   
  a. Account lockout duration – Set this to the number of minutes an account should stay locked after the maximum number of login attempts exceed.
   
  b. Account lockout threshold – The number of invalid logon attempts before the account automatically locks. Typically set to at least 5.
   
  c. Reset account lockout counter after – An optional setting that allows Windows to automatically unlock the account after the specified duration has passed.

• Computer Configuration / Software Settings / Security Settings / Account Policies / Password Policy.

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Conclusion

To sum up, When no limits imposed on failed login attempts and account still not disabled, after a few sets of failed access attempts then the DBMS account is vulnerable to sustained attack. Access attempts may continue unrestricted, and the likelihood of success will increase. A successful attempt results in unauthorized access to the database.