The Stored User Names and Passwords applet lets you assign user names and passwords to use when needing to authenticate yourself to services in domains other than the one you are currently logged into. The normal way of running this applet can be difficult to find quickly, so here is a way to launch it using a desktop shortcut using the rundll32.exe program:
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Click on START - RUN and type the following (follwed by ENTER):
rundll32.exe keymgr.dll,KRShowKeyMgr
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Must Do Security Settings
Start > Run > Type – services.msc
Security Settings
1. Messenger – Home/Pro = Disable
Have you ever been surfing the net and all of the sudden you get a pop-up with a “Messenger Service” listing in the title bar? If so, disable this service.
2. NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing – Home/Pro = Disable
This creates the ability for someone to remotely access your computer through NetMeeting. This is not good! If you don’t use NetMeeting or not that often, disable this service.
3. Protected Storage – Home/Pro = Disable
This service will store your passwords as well as enable the auto-complete function within Internet Explorer (auto-complete is where you type – for e.g. – tweakxp and then hit Ctrl + Enter to allow IE to fill in the WWW and .Com for you).
4. Remote Desktop Help Session Manager – Home/Pro = Disable
This service provides support for Remote Assistance sessions. Again, if this service is not something you use or use rarely, disable until required.
5. Remote Registry Service – Pro = Disable
If you don’t require the assistance of someone to remotely have access to editing your registry settings, then disable this service. Your systems registry isn’t something you want to surrender easily to a remote computer.
6. Routing and Remote Access – Home/Pro = Disable
This service enables remote computers dial-in routing to your computer. That surely doesn’t sound like something I would want set to “automatic”.
7. Security Accounts Manager – Home/Pro = Disable
This service works just as Protected Storage collecting secure user information. For XP Pro users, you will not be able to run the Group Policy Editor with this service disabled (the Group Policy Editor is unavailable for XP Home users).
As with anything that may be questionable, create a system restore or backup your system with an image utility such as DriveImage 2002. As a precautionary measure, you may as well, take note of the default state of the service before you adjust it. It wouldn’t take up too much storage place for a simple Note Pad file holding the defaults for 7 services.
Security Settings
1. Messenger – Home/Pro = Disable
Have you ever been surfing the net and all of the sudden you get a pop-up with a “Messenger Service” listing in the title bar? If so, disable this service.
2. NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing – Home/Pro = Disable
This creates the ability for someone to remotely access your computer through NetMeeting. This is not good! If you don’t use NetMeeting or not that often, disable this service.
3. Protected Storage – Home/Pro = Disable
This service will store your passwords as well as enable the auto-complete function within Internet Explorer (auto-complete is where you type – for e.g. – tweakxp and then hit Ctrl + Enter to allow IE to fill in the WWW and .Com for you).
4. Remote Desktop Help Session Manager – Home/Pro = Disable
This service provides support for Remote Assistance sessions. Again, if this service is not something you use or use rarely, disable until required.
5. Remote Registry Service – Pro = Disable
If you don’t require the assistance of someone to remotely have access to editing your registry settings, then disable this service. Your systems registry isn’t something you want to surrender easily to a remote computer.
6. Routing and Remote Access – Home/Pro = Disable
This service enables remote computers dial-in routing to your computer. That surely doesn’t sound like something I would want set to “automatic”.
7. Security Accounts Manager – Home/Pro = Disable
This service works just as Protected Storage collecting secure user information. For XP Pro users, you will not be able to run the Group Policy Editor with this service disabled (the Group Policy Editor is unavailable for XP Home users).
As with anything that may be questionable, create a system restore or backup your system with an image utility such as DriveImage 2002. As a precautionary measure, you may as well, take note of the default state of the service before you adjust it. It wouldn’t take up too much storage place for a simple Note Pad file holding the defaults for 7 services.
Locking Computer in XP
To lock a computer in XP, as you probably know, you press "L" while holding down "Windows Logo" key on your keyboard. However, if you would like to lock a computer remotely, for example via "Remote Administrator", you don't have this ability. What you can do instead, is to create a shortcut on remote computer's desktop where
Target %windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
Start In %windir%
Target %windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
Start In %windir%
No recent documents history
Go to Start - Run...
and then type "gpedit.msc" and enter
now go to User Configuration - Administarative Templates - Start Menu and Taskbar
now double click "Do not keep history of recently opened documents" and click on "Enabled" thenk ok and there you have it
and then type "gpedit.msc" and enter
now go to User Configuration - Administarative Templates - Start Menu and Taskbar
now double click "Do not keep history of recently opened documents" and click on "Enabled" thenk ok and there you have it
The wonders of Syskey
With the help of this tip, you will need to insert a special floppy disk that you make in order to log on. If you loose the disk, you are locked out.
Click on start run and then type in SYSKEY, hit return
On the first window that opens you shall need to click on UPDATE.
On the next window ensure the System generated password is selected. (this is what I reccomend)
Also ensure the Store startup Key on a floppy drive is selected click on OKAY (Yes, make sure there is a blank disk in the floppy drive.) follow the prompts closing out of the windows and restart.
Remove the disk and restart.
What does this do? An xtra layer of security. When you reboot your XP system, you will be asked for this diskette prior to accessing you login screen. If you do not have the Disk to bad for you and the flamers that are may be trying to hack your system.
Click on start run and then type in SYSKEY, hit return
On the first window that opens you shall need to click on UPDATE.
On the next window ensure the System generated password is selected. (this is what I reccomend)
Also ensure the Store startup Key on a floppy drive is selected click on OKAY (Yes, make sure there is a blank disk in the floppy drive.) follow the prompts closing out of the windows and restart.
Remove the disk and restart.
What does this do? An xtra layer of security. When you reboot your XP system, you will be asked for this diskette prior to accessing you login screen. If you do not have the Disk to bad for you and the flamers that are may be trying to hack your system.
Changing ANY user password without having to know the existing password
It enables the user to re-password any account without having to know the existing password and also shows you every account that exists on the machine (even the ones that are hidden). This is a good tool to use if you forgot a password to say your administrator account and you needed to be logged into the admin account for any reason.
To view all of the user accounts:
1) While logged onto the computer, click on Start>Run>and type in CMD.
2) From the command prompt window, type in net users. This will show you every account that is made onto the computer whether it is hidden or not.
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To change an account password:
1) While logged onto the computer to an account that has administrative rights, click on Start>Run>and type in CMD.
2) Type in net user then the name of the account then * and press enter. heres an example: net user administrator * or net user "Joe Smith" * . Put the name in quotes if it contains spaces.
3) From there it should ask for a new password. Type in your new password (type very carefully - the command window won't display what you type) and once more to confirm it. If you get the message that the command succeeded successfully you're all set!!
To view all of the user accounts:
1) While logged onto the computer, click on Start>Run>and type in CMD.
2) From the command prompt window, type in net users. This will show you every account that is made onto the computer whether it is hidden or not.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To change an account password:
1) While logged onto the computer to an account that has administrative rights, click on Start>Run>and type in CMD.
2) Type in net user then the name of the account then * and press enter. heres an example: net user administrator * or net user "Joe Smith" * . Put the name in quotes if it contains spaces.
3) From there it should ask for a new password. Type in your new password (type very carefully - the command window won't display what you type) and once more to confirm it. If you get the message that the command succeeded successfully you're all set!!
Manually crash Windows XP
Windows-XP has a "feature" (???) with which it is possible to manually crash a system by simply holding the right CTRL key and pressing the "Scroll Lock" key twice. This feature can be turned on by the following steps:
1. Start regedit. (If you are unfamiliar with regedit, please refer to this FAQ)
2. Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt\Parameters
3. Create a new DWORD value and name it CrashOnCtrlScroll
4. Right-click on this newly created value and click on Modify
5. Enter 1 in the Value data field and click on OK.
6. Close regedit and reboot your system.
7. Now you can blue screen (crash) your system by holding the right CTRL key and pressing "Scroll Lock" twice.
Note:
Your system may reboot or show a blue screen whenever this crash is initiated. If your system reboots after initiating the crash, and you want to see the blue screen, follow these steps:
1. Go to Control Panel > System
2. Click on the Advanced tab
3. Under Startup and Recovery, click the Settings button.
4. Under System failure, uncheck the option Automatically restart.
Happy crashing...
1. Start regedit. (If you are unfamiliar with regedit, please refer to this FAQ)
2. Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt\Parameters
3. Create a new DWORD value and name it CrashOnCtrlScroll
4. Right-click on this newly created value and click on Modify
5. Enter 1 in the Value data field and click on OK.
6. Close regedit and reboot your system.
7. Now you can blue screen (crash) your system by holding the right CTRL key and pressing "Scroll Lock" twice.
Note:
Your system may reboot or show a blue screen whenever this crash is initiated. If your system reboots after initiating the crash, and you want to see the blue screen, follow these steps:
1. Go to Control Panel > System
2. Click on the Advanced tab
3. Under Startup and Recovery, click the Settings button.
4. Under System failure, uncheck the option Automatically restart.
Happy crashing...
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