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PASSEDserver / windows_scheduled_task_failure_chain
Scheduled Task Failure Chain
A critical scheduled task that triggers a chain of dependent tasks fails silently. The initial task (database export) fails due to credential expiry, causing downstream tasks (report generation, file transfer, client notification) to all fail in sequence.
Pattern
UNKNOWN
Severity
CRITICAL
Confidence
95%
Remediation
Remote Hands
Test Results
| Metric | Expected | Actual | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pattern Recognition | UNKNOWN | UNKNOWN | |
| Severity Assessment | CRITICAL | CRITICAL | |
| Incident Correlation | Yes | 6 linked | |
| Cascade Escalation | N/A | No | |
| Remediation | — | Remote Hands — Corax contacts on-site support via call, email, or API |
Scenario Conditions
Windows Server 2022 task scheduler. Master task 'DB_Export_Nightly' runs at 2AM. 4 dependent tasks triggered by file creation. Service account password expired. No alerting configured on task failures. Failures discovered 8 hours later by users expecting reports.
Injected Error Messages (1)
Scheduled task failure chain on batch01 — master task DB_Export_Nightly failed with exit code 0x1 (credential expired), 4 dependent tasks (ReportGen, FileTransfer, ClientNotify, ArchiveCleanup) all failed in cascade, last successful run 3 days ago, service account corp\svc_batch password expired, no task completion files generated for downstream processing
Neural Engine Root Cause Analysis
The root cause is an expired service account password for corp\svc_batch, which is used by the scheduled task DB_Export_Nightly. This master task failed with exit code 0x1 indicating credential/authentication failure, causing a cascade failure of 4 dependent downstream tasks (ReportGen, FileTransfer, ClientNotify, ArchiveCleanup). The failure has persisted for 3 days, preventing any task completion files from being generated and blocking the entire batch processing pipeline.
Remediation Plan
1. Reset/update the password for service account corp\svc_batch in Active Directory. 2. Update the stored credentials for the DB_Export_Nightly scheduled task on batch01 server with the new password. 3. Verify the service account has necessary permissions for database export operations. 4. Manually trigger the DB_Export_Nightly task to test credential fix. 5. Monitor the dependent task chain (ReportGen, FileTransfer, ClientNotify, ArchiveCleanup) to ensure they execute successfully. 6. Implement password expiration monitoring for service accounts to prevent future occurrences.
Tested: 2026-03-30Monitors: 1 | Incidents: 1Test ID: cmncjyp3x05rzobqe9a9u2km5