Another Error 18456

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Another Error 18456

Assun

SSC Rookie

Points: 43
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July 23, 2009 at 5:16 am

#207215

Hello,
I'm not a DBA and have very little knowledge of SQL, so I'd like to know if someone could help me, please. Forgive me if any question seems dumb.
Here's the problem: I'm having several entries in the SQL Server 2005 error logs related to login failures. Whenever a user tries to login, the frontend reports a possible wrong password and the SQL log records the following:
Error: 18456, Severity: 14, State: 8.
Login failed for user [Client: "IP"]
Error: 18456, Severity: 14, State: 8.
Login failed for user [Client: "IP"]
Error: 18456, Severity: 14, State: 8.
Login failed for user [Client: "IP"]
Error: 18456, Severity: 14, State: 5.
Login failed for user [Client: "IP"]
The entries are repeated in pairs for each login - 2 entries for sa followed by two entries for the user. It appears that everytime a user tries to login, the client app attempts to login first with sa and then the user (maybe that's the way it's supposed to be?!).
If I try to change the user's password on the client app, the problem remains. If I change the user's pass on Management Studio, everything's ok. However, some of the user's accounts do not show up on Management Studio, although they were active yesterday.
I've been looking around about these error codes and found out that 8 is for wrong passwords and 5 for invalid logins. However, can't really figure out what went wrong.
Hope someone can give me a hint.
Thanks,
PDA
>>> EDIT:
Apparently, other Administrator changed the sa password 2 weeks ago. I reset the password to the previous value and everything went back to normal. However, I still can't figure out how and why the users managed to work without a problem until now. Any thoughts?

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salvatore doria SSC Rookie Points: 39 More actions · Answer 1

State 8 indicates "Password mismatch", State 5 indicates "Invalid UserId".

Is this some help for You?

govindarajan69 SSC Eights! Points: 942 More actions · Answer 2

Hi,

I am also getting this error Error: 18456, Severity: 14, State: 8. + Login failed for user 'sa'. [CLIENT: 192.168.4.52], but the user is not accessing SQL Server directly. No application is configured with sa credentials.

is there anyway we can trace his pc and find out what is making connections to SQL Server directly?

Please suggest.

Regards

Govind

Ant-Green SSC Guru Points: 113507 More actions · Answer 3

govindarajan69 (6/8/2012)
Hi,
I am also getting this error Error: 18456, Severity: 14, State: 8. + Login failed for user 'sa'. [CLIENT: 192.168.4.52], but the user is not accessing SQL Server directly. No application is configured with sa credentials.
is there anyway we can trace his pc and find out what is making connections to SQL Server directly?
Please suggest.
Regards
Govind

run a profile trace, blank template, then select failed login attempt from the security audit section of the event selections tab, bingo, you get to see whats trying to login

govindarajan69 SSC Eights! Points: 942 More actions · Answer 4

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for your reply.

I found that it was virus. One of the users laptop was constantly probing all sql servers with sa login. I removed it from LAN and got stopped. I also found that the trojan virus infected his laptop. Informed Network and Infra team to take necessary action.

Regards

Govind