The Windows SQL Server Configuration Option Hunt rule is designed to detect potential malicious activity through monitoring changes to SQL Server configuration settings. It captures modifications indicated by Event ID 15457 from Windows Application Event Logs, which detail configuration changes made to SQL Server instances. When a setting is altered, the rule extracts critical data including the configuration name, new value, and old value, using regular expressions. It categorizes the change as either enabled, disabled, or modified, and assigns a risk score based on the nature of the change. Analysts can effectively utilize this rule to identify potentially suspicious configuration modifications that could signify an attack or compromise on the SQL Server. To implement this detection, it is essential to ensure that Windows Application Event Logs are being ingested properly and that sufficient logging is configured on SQL Server to capture such changes. Additionally, understanding the normal baseline of configuration changes is important to mitigate false positives that arise from legitimate administrative activities.