Microsoft network server: Disconnect clients when sign-in hours expire

Applies to

• Windows 11
• Windows 10

Describes the best practices, location, values, and security considerations for the Microsoft network server: Disconnect clients when logon hours expire security policy setting.

Reference

This policy setting enables or disables the forced disconnection of users who are connected to the local device outside their user account's valid sign-in hours. It affects the SMB component. If you enable this policy setting, client computer sessions with the SMB service are forcibly disconnected when the client's sign-in hours expire. If you disable this policy setting, established client device sessions are maintained after the client device's sign-in hours expire.

Possible values

• Enabled

  Client device sessions with the SMB service are forcibly disconnected when the client device's sign-in hours expire. If sign-in hours aren't used in your organization, enabling this policy setting will have no impact.

• Disabled

  The system maintains an established client device session after the client device's sign-in hours have expired.

• Not defined

Best practices

• If you enable this policy setting, you should also enable Network security: Force logoff when logon hours expire.

Location

Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options

Default values

The following table lists the actual and effective default values for this policy. Default values are also listed on the policy’s property page.

Policy management

This section describes features and tools that are available to help you manage this policy.

Restart requirement

None. Changes to this policy become effective without a device restart when they're saved locally or distributed through Group Policy.

Group Policy

This policy setting can be configured by using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) to be distributed through Group Policy Objects (GPOs). If this policy isn't contained in a distributed GPO, this policy can be configured on the local computer by using the Local Security Policy snap-in.

Security considerations

This section describes how an attacker might exploit a feature or its configuration, how to implement the countermeasure, and the possible negative consequences of countermeasure implementation.

Vulnerability

If your organization configures sign-in hours for users, it makes sense to enable this policy setting. Otherwise, users who shouldn't have access to network resources outside of their sign-in hours can continue to use those resources with sessions that were established during allowed hours.

Countermeasure

Enable the Microsoft network server: Disconnect clients when logon hours expire setting.

Potential impact

If sign-in hours aren't used in your organization, this policy setting has no impact. If sign-in hours are used, existing user sessions are forcibly terminated when their sign-in hours expire.

Related topics

• Security Options