Administration Server connection protection
Connecting the computer to the Administration Server is achieved using the Network Agent component of Kaspersky Security Center. If an intruder has sufficient rights to modify server connection settings, a risk exists of connecting the computer to an untrusted server. This would allow the intruder to apply their own group policies and, for example, disable self-defense of the application. Kaspersky Endpoint Security can prevent unauthorized reconnection of a computer to a different server. To protect the server connection, the application suggests setting a password and using the Password-Based Key Derivation Function (PBKDF2). As a result, access to the application without a password is impossible.
To ensure comprehensive protection of Kaspersky Endpoint Security and Network Agent from unauthorized access, we recommend enabling additional protection. For Kaspersky Endpoint Security, we recommend enabling Password protection. To protect Network Agent, we recommend setting an uninstall password. For details about protecting Network Agent from removal, please refer to the Kaspersky Security Center Help.
Managing the connection of the computer to the Administration Server is achieved using the Administration Server connection protection task. The task lets you perform the following actions:
- Set a password to protect the server connection.
- Change the password.
- Reconnect the computer to a different server.
- Disable the server connection protection.
Authentication of the computer when connecting to the Administration Server
After setting a password, the application creates a data array using PBKDF2 transformation of the password. The application then encrypts this data array using the Network Agent key. The application uses the encrypted data array to check rights and privileges of the Administration Server for subsequent connections.
Subsequently, whenever an attempt is made to reconnect the computer to the Administration Server, the application decrypts the data array with the Network Agent key and compares it with the local copy. If they do not match, access to the application is restricted.
Administration Server connection protection
How to set a password for server connection protection in Administration Console (MMC)
- Open the Kaspersky Security Center Administration Console.
- In the console tree, select Tasks.
The list of tasks opens.
- Click New task.
The Task Wizard starts. Follow the instructions of the Wizard.
Step 1. Selecting task type
Select Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Windows (12.4) → Administration Server connection protection.
Step 2. Protecting the Administration Server connection
Set a password to protect the Administration Server connection:
- Under Administration Server connection protection, select Protect with a password.
- In the Administration Server drop-down list, select New server.
- In the Password for connection to the Administration Server field, set a password for connecting to the Administration Server and confirm it.
If you forget the password, you can change the password using a task.
Step 3. Selecting the account to run the task
Select Default account. By default, Kaspersky Endpoint Security starts the task as the system user account (SYSTEM).
Step 4. Configuring a task start schedule
Under Scheduled start, select Manually.
Step 5. Defining the task name
Enter a name for the task, for example, Main server connection password.
Step 6. Completing task creation
Exit the Wizard. Select the Run the task after the wizard finishes check box or run the task manually. You can monitor the progress of the task in the task properties.
How to set a password for server connection protection in Web Console and Cloud Console
- In the main window of the Web Console, select Devices → Tasks.
The list of tasks opens.
- Click Add.
The Task Wizard starts.
- Configure the task settings:
- In the Application drop-down list, select Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Windows (12.4).
- In the Task type drop-down list, select Administration Server connection protection.
- In the Task name field, enter a brief description, for example, Main server connection password.
- In the Select devices to which the task will be assigned block, select the task scope.
- Select devices according to the selected task scope option. Go to the next step.
- Select a default user account. By default, Kaspersky Endpoint Security starts the task as the system user account (SYSTEM).
- Exit the Wizard.
A new task will be displayed in the list of tasks.
- Click the Administration Server connection protection task of Kaspersky Endpoint Security.
The task properties window opens.
- Select the Application settings tab.
- Under Administration Server connection protection, select Protect with a password.
- In the Connection to the Administration Server drop-down list, select New password.
- In the Password field, set a password for connecting to the Administration Server and confirm it.
If you forget the password, you can change the password using a task.
- Save your changes.
- Select the check box next to the task.
- Click the Run button.
You can monitor the status of the task, and the number of devices on which the task was completed successfully or completed with an error.
Reconnecting the computer to a different Administration Server
Reconnecting the computer to a different Administration Server involves the following steps:
- In the console of the current
[KSC1] server, run the Change Administration Server task for Network Agent. After running the task, the computer is reconnected to the new [KSC2] server.
The console displays the computer with the Critical 
status. Configuring the application using policies or remotely running tasks on the computer is impossible.
- In the console of the new
[KSC2] server, create a new Administration Server connection protection task for Kaspersky Endpoint Security. In task properties, enter the password of the previous server and set a password for the new server.How to set a new password for reconnecting to a new server in Administration Console (MMC)
- Open the Kaspersky Security Center Administration Console.
- In the console tree, select Tasks.
The list of tasks opens.
- Click New task.
The Task Wizard starts. Follow the instructions of the Wizard.
Step 1. Selecting task type
Select Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Windows (12.4) → Administration Server connection protection.
Step 2. Protecting the Administration Server connection
Set a password to protect the connection to the new Administration Server:
- Under Administration Server connection protection, select Protect with a password.
- In the Administration Server drop-down list, select Reconnect from another server.
- In the Current password field, enter the password set for the connection to the previously used trusted server.
- In the New password field, set a password for connecting to the new Administration Server and confirm the password.
If you forget the password, you can change the password using a task.
Step 3. Selecting the account to run the task
Select Default account. By default, Kaspersky Endpoint Security starts the task as the system user account (SYSTEM).
Step 4. Configuring a task start schedule
Under Scheduled start, select Manually.
Step 5. Defining the task name
Enter a name for the task, for example, Main server connection password.
Step 6. Completing task creation
Exit the Wizard. Select the Run the task after the wizard finishes check box or run the task manually. You can monitor the progress of the task in the task properties.
How to set a new password for reconnecting to a new server in Web Console and Cloud Console
- In the main window of the Web Console, select Devices → Tasks.
The list of tasks opens.
- Click Add.
The Task Wizard starts.
- Configure the task settings:
- In the Application drop-down list, select Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Windows (12.4).
- In the Task type drop-down list, select Administration Server connection protection.
- In the Task name field, enter a brief description, for example, Main server connection password.
- In the Select devices to which the task will be assigned block, select the task scope.
- Select devices according to the selected task scope option. Go to the next step.
- Select a default user account. By default, Kaspersky Endpoint Security starts the task as the system user account (SYSTEM).
- Exit the Wizard.
A new task will be displayed in the list of tasks.
- Click the Administration Server connection protection task of Kaspersky Endpoint Security.
The task properties window opens.
- Select the Application settings tab.
- Under Administration Server connection protection, select Protect with a password.
- In the Connection to the Administration Server drop-down list, select Reconnect from another server.
- In the Current password server, enter the password set for connecting to the previously used trusted server.
- In the New password field, set a password for connecting to the new Administration Server and confirm the password.
If you forget the password, you can change the password using a task.
- Save your changes.
- Select the check box next to the task.
- Click the Run button.
You can monitor the status of the task, and the number of devices on which the task was completed successfully or completed with an error.
After completing the task, make sure that in the console of the new [KSC2] server, the computer has the OK 
status. Test if you can run tasks remotely and configure the application using policies.
Resetting the Administration Server connection password
If you forgot your Administration Server connection password or the password is compromised, you can reset the password in task properties. You can also reset the password and set a new password for a group of computers with different Administration Server connection protection statuses. That is, if some computers have the protection enabled and some have it disabled, the task sets a password for all computers.
You can only reset the Administration Server connection password in the console of the server to which the computer is connected.
How to reset the Administration Server connection password using the Administration Console (MMC)
- Open the Kaspersky Security Center Administration Console.
- In the console tree, select Tasks.
- Select the Administration Server connection protection task and double-click to open the task properties.
- In the task properties window, select the Settings section.
- Under Administration Server connection protection, select Protect and change password.
- In the Password for connection to the Administration Server field, set a new password for connecting to the current trusted server and confirm the password.
- Save your changes.
- Run the task.
How to reset the Administration Server connection password in Web Console and Cloud Console
- In the main window of the Web Console, select Devices → Tasks.
The list of tasks opens.
- Click the Administration Server connection protection task of Kaspersky Endpoint Security.
The task properties window opens.
- Select the Application settings tab.
- Under Administration Server connection protection, select Protect and change password.
- In the Password field, set a new password for connecting to the current trusted server and confirm the password.
- Save your changes.
- Select the check box next to the task.
- Click the Run button.
As a result, the Administration Server connection password is reset after the task finishes.
Disabling Administration Server connection protection
You can only remotely disable Administration Server connection protection in the console of the server to which the computer is connected. You can also disable the protection locally on the command line.
How to disable the server connection protection in Administration Console (MMC)
- Open the Kaspersky Security Center Administration Console.
- In the console tree, select Tasks.
- Select the Administration Server connection protection task and double-click to open the task properties.
- In the task properties window, select the Settings section.
- Under Administration Server connection protection, select Do not protect.
- Save your changes.
- Run the task.
You can monitor the status of the task, and the number of devices on which the task was completed successfully or completed with an error.
How to disable the server connection protection in Web Console and Cloud Console
- In the main window of the Web Console, select Devices → Tasks.
The list of tasks opens.
- Click the Administration Server connection protection task of Kaspersky Endpoint Security.
The task properties window opens.
- Select the Application settings tab.
- Under Administration Server connection protection, select Do not protect.
- Save your changes.
- Select the check box next to the task.
- Click the Run button.
You can monitor the status of the task, and the number of devices on which the task was completed successfully or completed with an error.
How to disable the server connection protection on the command line
- Run the command line interpreter (cmd.exe) as an administrator.
- Go to the folder where the Kaspersky Endpoint Security executable file is located.
- Run the following command:
avp.com SERVERBINDINGDISABLE [/password=<password>]
where <password> is the password of the KLAdmin user account or the password from the Administration Server connection protection task. If the parameter is not specified, Kaspersky Endpoint Security prompts you to enter a password on the next line.
To execute this command, Password protection must be enabled.
Example:
avp.com SERVERBINDINGDISABLE /password=!Password1
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