RE: CRIME Microsoft Windows XP question

From: MAGEE Rob (Rob.Magee@ODE-EX1.ODE.STATE.OR.US)
Date: Thu Jan 02 2003 - 00:28:52 PST

  • Next message: Edward J. Metzler: "RE: CRIME Microsoft Windows XP question"

    If her frustration with the lack of access lasted for a long enough period
    of time for her to create notes "all over", I would suspect that she would
    take the easy way, and wait for her dad to leave the computer unattended
    long enough to hijack his session and create her own account, or as Rocky
    said, watch him long enough to discover where the password note is, or even
    bring a friend over who has the expertise, tools and skills to crack the
    Admin password. She obviously isn't going to "fess up", since she probably
    wants to be able to use the same method the next time.
    My suspicion would be the Social Engineering method. In my experience, XP
    and 2000 are not trivial to crack. 
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Rocky Gregory [mailto:rockygregory@dsl-only.net]
    Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2003 10:07 PM
    To: emetzler@private; crime@private
    Subject: RE: CRIME Microsoft Windows XP question
    
    
    Was the password long and difficult enough that he had to write it down
    to remember it?
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: owner-crime@private [mailto:owner-crime@private] On Behalf
    Of Edward J. Metzler
    Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2003 9:10 PM
    To: crime@private
    Subject: CRIME Microsoft Windows XP question
    
    
    I recently built a computer for a friend using Windows XP Pro.  I made
    very sure that I used a nine digit reasonably strong password - number,
    special character, upper and lower case letters.  I made him the
    administrator and the only person with an account.  I updated his
    installation with all of the available XP updates from Microsoft.  
    
    His daughter, who does not seem to have strong computer knowledge,
    cracked in and made herself administrator and her login appears on the
    front screen.  My friend assures me that he has not related his password
    to his daughter.  He said that she had notes all over as she apparently
    was trying to break in using various words that she thought her dad
    might use.  When I asked his daughter how she did it, she said something
    about reconfiguring the startup....she couldn't remember what she did.  
    
    Here are my questions:
    1. How is it possible to login to Windows XP without knowing the
    password? 2. What can I do about it?
    
    Any ideas out there?
    
    Edward J. Metzler
    aCCredo Corp. -- Proactive Risk Management
    13267 SW Bull Mountain Road
    Tigard, OR 97224
    Direct: 503-624-2124; Fax: 503-624-5723; Cell: 503-805-7758
    http://www.accredo.com          emetzler@private
    
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