Re: I need to password protect my pc at startup
- From: Malke <malke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:51:36 -0700
Kat wrote:
I'm at a very small company... we have 8 people working in the office
here. I don't know that much about how to set up passwords or if using the
log on
password is effective enough. I do not have that set up now. I am one of
3 owners here, almost everyone in the office has keys to get in here on
evenings and weekends. We are to small to have an IT person let alone a
department. So we are pretty much on our own. One person here is best
with pc's and does what she can to keep us up and running but doesn't seem
to know if the windows log on is secure enough to prevent other people on
my
machine. I have several files password protected so users can not get
into
those. However I suspect a co-owner getting nosey and poking around on my
machine.
Hopefully this has helped explain my concern. I have delicate files on my
machine that this other person has admitted getting into and reading. I
don't want them doing that again so I'd like to protect my machine when I
am
not here. This person being an owner has access to my office as well with
keys so locking the door isn't going to do it.
I want to set it up with a password so that if the machine is off, they
can not get into it even if they can turn it on.
Shenan has given you good advice. Physical access is everything. See my
standard information about computer security below but please be aware that
all of those precautions can be gotten around. You really need to address
your problems with the other owner and this isn't something you can do with
technology.
On the technical front, if you don't know how to set things up, hire a local
computer professional to come on-site and do it for you. This is a cost of
doing business. Don't use someone from a BigComputerStore type of place.
Any computer running any operating system can be accessed by someone with 1)
physical access; 2) time; 3) skill; 4) tools. There are a few things you
can do to make it a bit harder though:
1. Set a password in the BIOS that must be entered before booting the
operating system. Also set the Supervisor password in the BIOS so BIOS
Setup can't be entered without it.
2. From the BIOS, change the boot order to hard drive first.
3. Set strong passwords on all accounts, including the built-in
Administrator account.
4. If you leave your own account logged in, use the Windows Key + L to lock
the computer (and/or set the screensaver/power saving) when you step away
from the computer and require a password to resume.
5. Make other users Limited accounts in XP Home, regular user accounts in XP
Pro.
6. Set user permissions/restrictions:
a. If you have XP Pro, you can set user permissions/restrictions with Group
Policy (Start>Run>gpedit.msc [enter]) but be careful. Using the Policy
Editor can be tricksy. Questions about Group Policy should be posted in its
newsgroup: microsoft.public.windows.group_policy.
b. If you have XP Home, you can use MVP Doug Knox's Security Console or the
MS Steady State. SteadyState also works in XP Pro if you'd rather not use
Group Policy.
http://www.dougknox.com
Steady State -
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/default.mspx
Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!
.
- References:
- I need to password protect my pc at startup
- From: Kat
- Re: I need to password protect my pc at startup
- From: Shenan Stanley
- Re: I need to password protect my pc at startup
- From: Kat
- I need to password protect my pc at startup
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