opc.three (3/24/2013)
You're still hung up on 'external attackers.' The point is, xp_cmdshell is a blunt tool that cannot be audited and allows people to run commands as someone else, possibly with more permissions than their own, without the possibility of being detected or tracked. That is not something to be taken lightly and is certainly something most people making decisions about the security of their environment and data would object too if it was fully explained.
You need to read the question I posed again. I said nothing about 'external attackers'. In fact, I specifically stated that "None of those 'individuals' are actually externally outside SQL server". Here's my post, again.
Fine. Support your words as I have supported mine. If only few (let's say, 2 DBAs) very trusted individuals have "SA" privs and none of those "individuals" are actually externally outside SQL Server) facing apps (an important point that you've left out that I've emphasized time and again), what kind of problems is having xp_CmdShell turned on going to cause and what kind of problems will be avoided by having it turned off?
So tell us all, "what kind of problems is having xp_CmdShell turned on going to cause and what kind of problems will be avoided by having it turned off"? If the answer is only "logging", please drive through because an "SA" can do just about anything without it being logged and where it is logged, (s)he can actually delete.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.