SQL Server....what would happen

[SkyHog]

We were discussing stuff today, and my brain just thought of something.

Lets say you have a SQL Server that requires Windows Authentication, and it is attached to domain "DOMAIN1."

Now, you steal that physical server, and attach it to DOMAIN2. Simply by attaching it to a different domain, and authenticating to DOMAIN2, are you now authorized to grab the data from the server?

If I'm not explaining clearly, I can try again or draw a diagram.

 

[ReverendSlappy]

We were discussing stuff today, and my brain just thought of something.

Lets say you have a SQL Server that requires Windows Authentication, and it is attached to domain "DOMAIN1."

Now, you steal that physical server, and attach it to DOMAIN2. Simply by attaching it to a different domain, and authenticating to DOMAIN2, are you now authorized to grab the data from the server?

If I'm not explaining clearly, I can try again or draw a diagram.

Yes, but to get it to join DOMAIN2, you'd need administrative privileges on the server anyway.

Right?

 

[SkyHog]

Yes, but to get it to join DOMAIN2, you'd need administrative privileges on the server anyway.

Right?

Ahh....yes...yes you would. Hmmm....but this still seems like there's something there. I need to think more.

 

[SkyHog]

So, if one were to employ one of the methods found here: http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm they could very easily gain access to this data?

If so, I have some work to do to find a way to stop this.

 

[ReverendSlappy]

So, if one were to employ one of the methods found here: http://www.petri.co.il/forgot_administrator_password.htm they could very easily gain access to this data?

They could gain administrative access to the box which, 99% of the time I'd wager, on SQL Server boxes configured to use Windows Authentication, means access to the DB, because I believe any account that's in the local Administrator group is going to be in the dbo role or whatever by default. But...

If so, I have some work to do to find a way to stop this.

Make sure that only domain accounts are SQL Server users, and that Local Administrators (and all other local users/groups) don't have SQL rights. That should do it, but then there's the whole cached credentials thing...

Long story short, if somebody gets local administrator rights to a box, they're going to get access to all the data on it no matter what you do (edit: short of EFS, maybe.)

 

[jesse]

It doesn't really matter Nick. If you have physical access to a machine all bets are essentially off. Things get a little better with disk encryption, etc -- but this isn't that viable to a server.

If you can physically touch the server -- then there is no more security. If you have an administrator account, same thing.

 

[ReverendSlappy]

It doesn't really matter Nick. If you have physical access to a machine all bets are essentially off. Things get a little better with disk encryption, etc -- but this isn't that viable to a server.

If you can physically touch the server -- then there is no more security. If you have an administrator account, same thing.

What he said.