Did you know that it takes 5 minutes and $38 to crack any MS Windows password? I fired up an old machine and forgot the password. I downloaded an ISO image, created a CD and reset the password, easy as that. This means that there is no security for Windows operating systems.
Windows passwords
- Thread starter Louie's gone fishing
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Why do you need a password? Someone can steal the drive and slave it, makes a pw useless too;
Passwords are for restricting access to the machine, not protecting the data. If you want to protect the data, encrypt the drive.
Passwords are for restricting access to the machine, not protecting the data. If you want to protect the data, encrypt the drive.
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Here's a freebie that works most of the time:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ophcrack/
Blanks out local admin password:
http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ophcrack/
Blanks out local admin password:
http://home.eunet.no/pnordahl/ntpasswd/bootdisk.html
Unless various things are done to provide greater security for a Mac you can do the same thing with a Mac. If you have the original O/S install disk you can easily reset the password. Of course the owner of the Mac will realize that their password has been reset.
At least in the case of Windows computers the police can easily get in to any Windows computer up to at least Windows XP (I don't know about Vista). There is specialized software available to easily copy and find out what is on a hard drive. It is a piece of cake for somebody who knows what they are doing and has the right equipment. They can also pull the hard drive.
Recently a Mac Computer was taken over in about 2 minutes during a demonstration. The Vista computer lasted until near the end and the Linux computer was not defeated.
The authorities can also go to somebody's ISP with a warrant and the ISP can supply all kinds of information.
There is no telling what the NSA is capable of. Probably anything they want to do.
And if the government wanted to check out someboby's computer remotely and if for some reason they had any problems they could go to Microsoft or Apple. After all, when updates are installed on a computer, the computer is scanned to see what updates are needed-right?
A hardware keylogger can be installed on any computer.
When you install security software on your computer you are mainly defending yourself from automated malware. If somebody who really knew their stuff decided to target you and get into your computer they probably would be able to do so. There are good and bad people who know Unix sideways, upside down, rightside up, you name it. There are good and bad people who really know Windows. There are good and bad people who know the Mac. There are good and bad people who know Linux. A lot of people who attack Windows computers are using an alternative O/S like Linux.
There are ways to make it harder to get into the computer like setting the computer up to never boot from a floppy disk or CD. But if you run into any serious maintenance problems with that computer you will probably wish you had not done that. Lock the servers up! Don't let anybody near the servers except for known authorized personnel.
At least in the case of Windows computers the police can easily get in to any Windows computer up to at least Windows XP (I don't know about Vista). There is specialized software available to easily copy and find out what is on a hard drive. It is a piece of cake for somebody who knows what they are doing and has the right equipment. They can also pull the hard drive.
Recently a Mac Computer was taken over in about 2 minutes during a demonstration. The Vista computer lasted until near the end and the Linux computer was not defeated.
The authorities can also go to somebody's ISP with a warrant and the ISP can supply all kinds of information.
There is no telling what the NSA is capable of. Probably anything they want to do.
And if the government wanted to check out someboby's computer remotely and if for some reason they had any problems they could go to Microsoft or Apple. After all, when updates are installed on a computer, the computer is scanned to see what updates are needed-right?
A hardware keylogger can be installed on any computer.
When you install security software on your computer you are mainly defending yourself from automated malware. If somebody who really knew their stuff decided to target you and get into your computer they probably would be able to do so. There are good and bad people who know Unix sideways, upside down, rightside up, you name it. There are good and bad people who really know Windows. There are good and bad people who know the Mac. There are good and bad people who know Linux. A lot of people who attack Windows computers are using an alternative O/S like Linux.
There are ways to make it harder to get into the computer like setting the computer up to never boot from a floppy disk or CD. But if you run into any serious maintenance problems with that computer you will probably wish you had not done that. Lock the servers up! Don't let anybody near the servers except for known authorized personnel.
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