RE: Vulnerability in IBM Windows XP: default hidden Administrator account allows local Administrator access

"Michael Scheidell" <[email protected]> Sat, 18 Sep 2004 11:39:56 -0400
Newsgroups gmane.comp.security.vulnerabilities.watch.general
Message-ID <B3BCAF4246A8A84983A80DAB50FE7242283141__42814.667922403$1095567834$gmane$org@secnap2.secnap.com>
XP HOME??? I am not talking about XP home.



-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn McMahon [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Saturday, September 18, 2004 10:07 AM
To: Michael Wilson, Contractor
Cc: Chris Norton; Michael Scheidell; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]
Subject: Re: Vulnerability in IBM Windows XP: default hidden
Administrator account allows local Administrator access


On Fri, Sep 17, 2004 at 03:08:34PM -0500, Michael Wilson, Contractor
said:
> 
> It is most likely the Vendor Install Customization that has caused
this
> issue, as true enough, most vendor installs force you to pick an
> administrator password before using the system.  If the account is
hidden,
> then it is definitely IBM's doing as I have never seen a Windows
install
> where the administrator account could not be seen under the accounts
tab.

Averatec laptop installs of XP Home have it hidden; you have to boot in
Safe Mode to add a password.

The documentation that specifies this is a Microsoft product, so I
suspect it's the same with other installs of Home, but I have only left
the packaged install of XP Home on one machine ever, so I am not at all
sure of this.


-- 
Shawn McMahon      | Let's set the record straight. There is no argument
EIV Consulting     | over the choice between peace and war, but there is
UNIX and Linux	   | only one guaranteed way you can have peace - and
you
http://www.eiv.com | can have it in the next second - surrender. -
Reagan