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Security and Windows Vista A forum for discussion on security issues with Windows Vista. (microsoft.public.windows.vista.security)

Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i



 
 
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  #11 (permalink)  
Old April 23rd 10, 05:18 PM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
niemiro
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 25
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i


No, safe mode will boot to the User account, not the
Super-administrator.


Oh, I had no idea. So for several years I have been wandering around
with that misconception in my head! Also, why is it that if you lock
yourself out of your files, you can usually recovery them in Safe Mode?
Is it simply because it is Safe Mode and the security is relaxed?
Thanks!


--
niemiro

If you are expecting a response from me, and do not have one
within 24 hours, PM me. Never feel afraid to send me a PM; that is what
the system is for.
  #12 (permalink)  
Old April 23rd 10, 10:54 PM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
FromTheRafters[_3_]
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Posts: 294
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i

"theog" wrote in message
...

No, safe mode will boot to the User account, not the
Super-administrator.


Safe Mode *can* boot into the "Administrator" account.


  #13 (permalink)  
Old April 23rd 10, 10:54 PM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
FromTheRafters[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 294
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i

"theog" wrote in message
...

No, safe mode will boot to the User account, not the
Super-administrator.


Safe Mode *can* boot into the "Administrator" account.


  #14 (permalink)  
Old April 24th 10, 07:36 AM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
niemiro
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Posts: 25
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i


If it *CAN*, then when does it? I am completely confused now!


--
niemiro

If you are expecting a response from me, and do not have one
within 24 hours, PM me. Never feel afraid to send me a PM; that is what
the system is for.
  #15 (permalink)  
Old April 24th 10, 07:36 AM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
niemiro
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 25
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i


If it *CAN*, then when does it? I am completely confused now!


--
niemiro

If you are expecting a response from me, and do not have one
within 24 hours, PM me. Never feel afraid to send me a PM; that is what
the system is for.
  #16 (permalink)  
Old April 24th 10, 08:03 AM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
Paul Adare
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Posts: 142
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i

On Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:49:03 -0700, john ha wrote:

I have heard of the "administrator password" for a super-administrator.

But I have never "set" the "administrator password" or "super admin password".


Wow, you're getting answers that are all over the map. Let me try to
clarify here.

1. There is no such thing as a "super-administrator. There is an account
named Administrator and you can add additional accounts that are members of
the Administrators group.
2. The difference between the account named Administrator and an account
that is a member of the Administrators group, is that the account named
Administrator, if used, will always have an administrative level access
token and will not be required to elevate by UAC when attempting to perform
a privileged operation.
3. Safe mode does not automatically "boot" into any particular account, be
it the Administrator account, an account that is a member of the
Administrators group, or a standard user account. Assuming you have a
password set on the account you need to logon after you've booted to Safe
mode.
4. In Vista and Windows 7, the account named Administrator is disabled by
default, so although you don't set a password on the account named
Administrator during setup, the account simply can't be used on a default
system regardless of what mode you're booting into.
5. From a security perspective there's really no reason to set a password
on the account named Administrator because of the previous point. In order
to be able to use the Administrator account, a hacker would first have to
crack the password of an existing account on your computer that is a member
of the Administrators group. If they were able to do so, they'd already
have administrative access to your computer and would have no need to use
the account named Administrator.
6. Finally, in order to take advantage of Safe mode in the first place, an
attacker would need to have physical possession of your computer, in which
case, the computer is no longer yours, and it belongs to the hacker any
way.


--
Paul Adare
MVP - Identity Lifecycle Manager
http://www.identit.ca
  #17 (permalink)  
Old April 24th 10, 08:03 AM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
Paul Adare
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 142
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i

On Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:49:03 -0700, john ha wrote:

I have heard of the "administrator password" for a super-administrator.

But I have never "set" the "administrator password" or "super admin password".


Wow, you're getting answers that are all over the map. Let me try to
clarify here.

1. There is no such thing as a "super-administrator. There is an account
named Administrator and you can add additional accounts that are members of
the Administrators group.
2. The difference between the account named Administrator and an account
that is a member of the Administrators group, is that the account named
Administrator, if used, will always have an administrative level access
token and will not be required to elevate by UAC when attempting to perform
a privileged operation.
3. Safe mode does not automatically "boot" into any particular account, be
it the Administrator account, an account that is a member of the
Administrators group, or a standard user account. Assuming you have a
password set on the account you need to logon after you've booted to Safe
mode.
4. In Vista and Windows 7, the account named Administrator is disabled by
default, so although you don't set a password on the account named
Administrator during setup, the account simply can't be used on a default
system regardless of what mode you're booting into.
5. From a security perspective there's really no reason to set a password
on the account named Administrator because of the previous point. In order
to be able to use the Administrator account, a hacker would first have to
crack the password of an existing account on your computer that is a member
of the Administrators group. If they were able to do so, they'd already
have administrative access to your computer and would have no need to use
the account named Administrator.
6. Finally, in order to take advantage of Safe mode in the first place, an
attacker would need to have physical possession of your computer, in which
case, the computer is no longer yours, and it belongs to the hacker any
way.


--
Paul Adare
MVP - Identity Lifecycle Manager
http://www.identit.ca
  #18 (permalink)  
Old April 24th 10, 08:20 AM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
niemiro
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 25
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i


Thank you! What a perfect description! Now we all know what Safe Mode
is! Thanks again,

Richard


--
niemiro

If you are expecting a response from me, and do not have one
within 24 hours, PM me. Never feel afraid to send me a PM; that is what
the system is for.
  #19 (permalink)  
Old April 24th 10, 08:20 AM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
niemiro
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 25
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i


Thank you! What a perfect description! Now we all know what Safe Mode
is! Thanks again,

Richard


--
niemiro

If you are expecting a response from me, and do not have one
within 24 hours, PM me. Never feel afraid to send me a PM; that is what
the system is for.
  #20 (permalink)  
Old April 24th 10, 10:53 AM posted to microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
FromTheRafters[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 294
Default Help: What is the administrator password? What if I've never set i

"niemiro" wrote in message
...

If it *CAN*, then when does it? I am completely confused now!


Vista (and I assume Windows 7) is designed to activate the Administrator
account in safe mode if the last administrator level account is demoted
or removed. This was done so that an accidental demotion of the only
admin account still gives the user a way back in.

If you want security for your data even when the "attacker" has physical
access to your machine, you need to encrypt and manage the key properly.
Vista has support for TPM, which can safeguard your encryption key in
hardware so that if the attacker uses an alternate boot the key is not
released.


 




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