Learn how to fix SQL Server Agent Error: Authenticating proxy username or password is incorrect. Our SQL Server Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

SQL Server Agent Error: Authenticating proxy username or password is incorrect

According to our Experts, there are several causes behind the following error message:

Error authenticating proxy <SERVERNAME>\<REPLICATIONACCOUNT>. System error: The username or password is incorrect.

Today, we will be going through some of the common issues and how to resolve them.

Incorrect Username or Password

The most common cause of this error is incorrect credentials. So, make sure that the username and password provided for the proxy account are correct. We can re-enter the credentials to confirm there are no typos.

We can update the Proxy account credentials as seen here:

EXEC msdb.dbo.sp_update_proxy
@proxy_name = 'ProxyName',
@credential_name = 'NewCredentialName';


Password Expiration

The error will also occur if the password for the proxy account has expired. We can reset the password and update the proxy account with the new password.

ALTER CREDENTIAL [CredentialName]
WITH IDENTITY = 'Username',
SECRET = 'NewPassword';

Account Lockout

Sometimes, the account used for the proxy may be locked out due to multiple failed login attempts. So, unlock the account through the Active Directory or local user management tools.

Account Permissions

We have to make sure the proxy account has the needed permissions to execute the job steps. The account should have access to all resources and permissions required for the job. We can verify permissions in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) under Security> Logins.

SQL Server Agent Configuration

If the error still occurs, verify that the SQL Server Agent service is running under a user account with the needed permissions to manage proxy accounts. The SQL Server Agent service account should have the “Replace a process-level token” privilege.

SQL Server Agent Service Restart

Sometimes, changes in credentials or permissions require a restart of the SQL Server Agent service to take effect.

We can restart the service as seen below:

Restart-Service -Name 'SQLSERVERAGENT'

Review Job Step Configuration

Also, make sure the job steps are correctly configured to use the correct proxy account. We need to double-check the proxy settings in each job step in SSMS.

Check Event Logs and SQL Server Logs

Also, review the Windows Event Logs and SQL Server Logs for more detailed error messages.

EXEC xp_readerrorlog;

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Conclusion

With the above troubleshooting tips, we can fix the “Error authenticating proxy” and ensure our SQL Server jobs run smoothly.

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to fix SQL Server Agent Error: Authenticating proxy username or password is incorrect.