Windows XP account security three strokes

Intelligent account Password

It's not easy to secure your own account, some of the main users of the account password set too short, long time not to change the password and so on are the important impact on account security, but now we from the technical point of view of these users to make restrictions, that is the use of Group strategy this magic tool.

Open the Run dialog box in the Start menu, enter "Gpedit.msc" to open the Group Policy Editor, and then browse to local Computer policy--Computer Configuration--Windows Settings--"Security settings"--"Account Policies"-"Password Policies", You will notice that there are six items on the right that are set for the password. First double-click the password must meet complexity requirements, set it to Enabled, and the password set by the user after it is enabled cannot be simple 111, 123, ABC, and so on. Next, double-click the minimum password length and set its value to more than 6. Also said that the minimum password set must have 6 digits; Another important setting is "Minimum password age", for example, if we set it to 15 days, so that the system will automatically remind us to change the password when it reaches 15 days. This helps secure the password (Figure 1).

Figure I

Double encryption to account

Believe that many friends have set up a complex password for their account, but still always worry about the password by others cracked. In fact, have such a worried friend can set the account to double encryption.

Click the "Start" button to open the "Run" dialog box in the menu that appears. Enter "Syskey" to open the "Secure Windows XP Account Database" window, which is irreversible and cannot be disabled once encryption is enabled (Figure 2) If we select the "Enable Encryption" item directly and click on the "OK" button so that the program has been encrypted with the account, except that the encryption process is transparent to the user

Figure II

If you want to experience this dual encryption function further, then in Figure 2, click the "Update" button, open the "Startup Password" window (Figure 3), where a total of "Startup Password" and "system generated password" two options, if you choose "Startup Password" you need to set a password, This allows you to enter the password before you log on to Windows XP before you can select the account you are logged on to. In the "System generated password" option has two options, if you choose the "Save startup password on this computer" item, then the program only in the background to complete the encryption process, the login does not need to enter any password, Because the password is stored inside the computer, if you have a high security requirements, you can choose the "Save startup password on the floppy" option, so click the "OK" button will be prompted to put a floppy disk in the floppy drive. When created, a Startkey.key file is generated on the floppy disk, which must be placed in the floppy disk each time it is turned on, and the system has a key disk that can be carried with you.

Figure Three

Figure Four

Special NOTE: If you choose to save the startup password on a floppy disk, it is recommended that you recreate a spare disk, and you will need to verify the files on the floppy disk when you switch to another mode from that mode of encryption.

Forget the password is not afraid

Everything is relative, set up a complex password for the account, in case of which day password forgotten, the time will not be able to block others but their own block in the "door" that can be miserable. In fact, as long as we in advance for their own account to create a password reset disk can be everything without worry.

Enter Control Panel, double-click the user account entry, and in the Open window, click the name of the account you want to create a password reset disk for. Into the interface shown in Figure 4, click on the left "related tasks" under "Block a forgotten password", so that the "Forgotten Password Wizard" Welcome window, directly click "Next" Prompts us to insert a blank formatted floppy disk in the floppy drive, and continue clicking the "Next" wizard will ask us to enter the current account password (as shown in Figure 5) and click "Next" to start creating the password reset disk.

Figure Five

In the future, if the password input error, the system will automatically prompt to reset the password, if confirmed, you need to be prompted by the wizard to insert a floppy disk, and set a new password.

How, through the above three tips, your account should be insured, whether it is to prevent others or worry about their forgotten complex password can be everything.