Exchange Send connector connections count must be limited.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-221222	EX16-ED-000230	SV-221222r612603_rule		Low

Description
This setting controls the maximum number of simultaneous outbound connections allowed for a given SMTP Connector and can be used to throttle the SMTP service if resource constraints warrant it. If the limit is too low, connections may be dropped. If the limit is too high, some domains may use a disproportionate resource share, denying access to other domains. Appropriate tuning reduces the risk of data delay or loss.

Description

This setting controls the maximum number of simultaneous outbound connections allowed for a given SMTP Connector and can be used to throttle the SMTP service if resource constraints warrant it. If the limit is too low, connections may be dropped. If the limit is too high, some domains may use a disproportionate resource share, denying access to other domains. Appropriate tuning reduces the risk of data delay or loss.

STIG	Date
Microsoft Exchange 2016 Edge Transport Server Security Technical Implementation Guide	2020-12-10

Details

Check Text ( C-22937r411792_chk )
Review the Email Domain Security Plan (EDSP). Determine the value for SMTP Server Maximum Outbound Connections. Open the Exchange Management Shell and enter the following command: Get-TransportService \| Select Name, Identity, MaxOutboundConnections If the value of "MaxOutboundConnections" is not set to "1000", this is a finding. or If the value of "MaxOutboundConnections" is set to a value other than "1000" and has signoff and risk acceptance in the EDSP, this is not a finding.

Check Text ( C-22937r411792_chk )

Review the Email Domain Security Plan (EDSP).

Determine the value for SMTP Server Maximum Outbound Connections.

Open the Exchange Management Shell and enter the following command:

Get-TransportService | Select Name, Identity, MaxOutboundConnections

If the value of "MaxOutboundConnections" is not set to "1000", this is a finding.

or

If the value of "MaxOutboundConnections" is set to a value other than "1000" and has signoff and risk acceptance in the EDSP, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-22926r411793_fix)
Update the EDSP to reflect the value for SMTP Server Maximum Outbound Connections. Open the Exchange Management Shell and enter the following command: Set-TransportService -Identity <'IdentityName'> -MaxOutboundConnections 1000 Note: The value must be in single quotes. or The value as identified by the EDSP that has obtained a signoff with risk acceptance.