Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Bug Wrongly Flags SQL Server 2017 & 2019 as End-of-Life

Microsoft is investigating and deploying a fix for a Defender for Endpoint issue that mistakenly identifies SQL Server 2017 and 2019 as end-of-life software.

The false alerts appeared across enterprise environments earlier this week, triggering confusion for IT admins who rely on Microsoft Defender XDR for threat and vulnerability management.

Folks at Bleeping Computer spotted the error advisory in a Microsoft 365 service alert. Per the report, the bug has been active since Wednesday, incorrectly tagging SQL Server builds still under full support.

To clarify, SQL Server 2019 remains supported until January 2030, while SQL Server 2017 doesn’t reach end of extended support until October 2027.

Microsoft confirmed that the problem stems from a code issue introduced by a recent change affecting end-of-support detection. The company said it has already started deploying a fix to correct the mislabeling.

The inaccurate tagging mainly affects users viewing SQL Server assets through Threat and Vulnerability Management dashboards within Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Although the issue may impact all systems running the affected versions, Microsoft categorized the incident as an advisory, suggesting limited operational impact. Microsoft says:

We’re continuing to deploy a fix that’s designed to reverse the offending change that introduced the code issue and will provide a timeline for its completion as one becomes available.

For now, admins can safely ignore the false end-of-life alerts while the fix rolls out globally. Microsoft is expected to share completion details soon once full remediation is confirmed.