SQL Service Accounts: It is advisable to set passwords on SQL services accounts?

Ryan Wong 40 Reputation points
2024-09-05T06:58:38.7066667+00:00

Hi All,

I am asking on behalf my client, requiring clarification
I have this accounts (pic below) in one of my Client Server
arrr

They wanted to ask is it advisable to set password on this accounts , as a part of a company security password policy??

Thanks

SQL Server
SQL Server
A family of Microsoft relational database management and analysis systems for e-commerce, line-of-business, and data warehousing solutions.
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  1. Erland Sommarskog 112.6K Reputation points MVP
    2024-09-05T20:54:11.27+00:00

    If they are NT Service accounts, as they seem to be, hands off! Windows manages these passwords. If you start to mess with these passwords, don't be surprised if things stop working.

    Also see your previous thread about the same issue.

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  1. LucyChenMSFT-4874 5,060 Reputation points
    2024-09-05T07:36:07.6866667+00:00

    Hi @Ryan Wong,

    Thank you for your reaching out and welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

    For your confusion:

    They wanted to ask is it advisable to set password on this accounts, as a part of a company security password policy??

    We could configuration the password on service account, as per Microsoft documentation, we should always use SQL Server configuration manager to do any modification for SQL Service. Account change and password change, both should be done only via configuration manager.

    Capture

    Please refer to this article, it shows us how to Create Secure SQL Server Service Accounts. Hope this can help you well.

    In addition, could you please tell us if this is a domain account or a built-in windows account that is available for configuring services in windows?

    As a best practices SQL Server service should be using a minimally privileged account. We should always avoid running SQL Server services under the local system, local administrator or domain administrator accounts.

    Feel free to share your issues here if you have any concerns! If I have any misunderstandings, please let me know in time.

    Best regards,

    Lucy Chen

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