ctrl+alt+del

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September 17th, 2004, 06:36 AM
yourdeadin

ctrl+alt+del

well i ve been always curious about this

in 2k,XP,2k+3 and following series ask for ctrl+alt+del to login , they say that it keeps the P/W safe
exactly how does this key combination keep the P/w safe.??
September 17th, 2004, 06:48 AM
Winston

It's not the key combination itself, it's the actions it causes.

IIRC, it temporarily suspends all but certain running processes or something.
September 17th, 2004, 06:48 AM
Donkey Punch

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000...secureboot.htm

Quote:

Pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE before logging on guarantees that the authentic Windows 2000 logon prompt appears. Requiring the use of CTRL+ALT+DELETE increases security and helps to thwart certain Trojan horse programs.

Hope this helps.
September 17th, 2004, 08:15 AM
yourdeadin

Quote:

Pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE before logging on guarantees that the authentic Windows 2000 logon prompt appears. Requiring the use of CTRL+ALT+DELETE increases security and helps to thwart certain Trojan horse programs

exactly how does it help to thwart torjan horse programs?
September 17th, 2004, 08:38 AM
jinxy

It suspends the system, so any keylogging program cant get your password. Or at least it helps prevent logging this.
September 17th, 2004, 09:24 AM
CybertecOne

in otherwords.

alt+control+delete keypress will stop any abnormal prcesses and guaratee that the ones running (like what you put your password into) is authentic

there is no plainer way to say it. :)

CTO
September 17th, 2004, 11:17 AM
cgkanchi

The control+alt+del key combination cannot be trapped by any program except Windows itself. Thus, enabling this setting makes sure that the box into which you are entering your password is a genuine Windows dialog box.

Cheers,
cgkanchi
September 17th, 2004, 01:56 PM
cacosapo

Quote:

Originally posted here by cgkanchi
The control+alt+del key combination cannot be trapped by any program except Windows itself. Thus, enabling this setting makes sure that the box into which you are entering your password is a genuine Windows dialog box.

Cheers,
cgkanchi

that is the correct answer. On NT/w2k/xp ctrl+alt+del does NOT suspend the system, it just happens on win9x.
September 18th, 2004, 08:50 AM
yourdeadin

so what you actullay mean is win introduced the key combination of ctrl+alt+del on for the sole purpose of protecting the p/w's from key loggers ??is that it nothing else. M$ put it only for protection against keyloggers only , i thought it had much more to do that just keyloggers....
September 18th, 2004, 02:38 PM
ZomBieMann77

No windows did not introduce ctrl+alt+delete. The good old 3 finger salute has been around on almost every computer system i have ever touched.many many moons ago in the days of "DOS" before we had theese nice GUI's that you young wipper snappers are so used to ctrl+alt+delete was a way to reboot a computer. But it didnt bother to bring upa task manager or anything. Just a few beeps as the machine POST'ed again. AFAIK it has allways worked on UNIX based systems as well. Just alittle different. Im not sure since i juts woke up and aint thiking straight yet
September 18th, 2004, 02:46 PM
gore

It's called a "Hardware Interrupt". Meaning it makes it harder for someone to use something other than a password to get on. I can't think of a time where it would matter off hand but it is early. I'll check my book later or something unless someone else replies and gives an example instead. I think it was something with being able to use a program to get things at log in....I forgot, I've never really looked into it much but had to do some readin on it for my Security + So I'll check later on.
September 18th, 2004, 02:51 PM
coderecycle

I just want to point out that you have to be careful cause there are tools that can still keylog the password even at windows startup. To my knowledge it works like a driver and that is how it does it.

http://www.keylogger.org/program.cgi?id=6

So be careful
September 18th, 2004, 11:50 PM
clonetheplanet

Quote:

Originally posted here by coderecycle
I just want to point out that you have to be careful cause there are tools that can still keylog the password even at windows startup. To my knowledge it works like a driver and that is how it does it.

http://www.keylogger.org/program.cgi?id=6

So be careful

I think what they ment is that it only logs the TIME it starts up and shuts down.
September 20th, 2004, 08:46 AM
RejectKnowledge

I do believe the CTRL+ALT+DEL sequence was to prevent automated brute force attempts too? Or am I gravely mistaken?
September 20th, 2004, 01:16 PM
cacosapo

Quote:

Originally posted here by RejectKnowledge
I do believe the CTRL+ALT+DEL sequence was to prevent automated brute force attempts too? Or am I gravely mistaken?

dont think so, but i maybe wrong. MS get this sequence (already in use previously) and make it impossible (as far i know) to be hooked by any program. So you can hook on keyboard, but you cant get that sequence, even with a system driver. Im looking for an old documentation, but apparently its done on 1st level int handler and it cannot be overrided by any other program. Im trying to dig that paper....