Case Scenario Exercises

Chapter Summary

• User accounts allows users to log on to a computer or to a domain and subsequently gain access to local and network resources.

• Group accounts simplify the assignment of security features by enabling you to assign access to groups and then include users in those groups.

• Domain Admins, Domain Guests, and Domain Users are predefined groups that exist on Windows domain controllers only. These domain-based groups are made members of local groups automatically when a computer joins a domain.

• Windows XP Home Edition does not support the use of groups, the ability to join a domain, or include the Local Users and Groups tool.

• Fast User Switching is a feature introduced with Windows XP that allows multiple local user accounts to log on to a computer simultaneously . When Fast User Switching is enabled, users can switch sessions without logging off or closing programs.

• Password problems are the second most common type of logon problem (following problems with network connectivity). If users see the error message Unknown Username Or Bad Password, make sure that the user is typing the information correctly and that the Caps Lock key is not engaged.

• Users who are not connected to a domain and are trying to log on to a local computer can often use a different account with administrative privileges to log on to the computer and then reset their own password.

• The password reset disk is a floppy disk that contains encrypted password information. The password reset disk allows users to change their password without knowing the old password.

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  When troubleshooting domain logon problems, check network connectivity and make sure that the user is selecting the correct domain to which to log on.

• You can resolve many profile- related problems by starting a computer in safe mode. For more serious problems, you may have to delete a profile and let Windows re-create the profile the next time the user logs on.

• Local Security Policy enables the administrator to do such things as set minimum password lengths, set account lockout policies to protect against break-ins, and control who can access the computer through the network.

• Password Policy enables you to increase the effectiveness of users’ passwords. By default, users are not required to have passwords, and little control is placed on password usage.

• Account Lockout Policy enables you to configure the computer to stop responding to logon requests from a user who has a valid logon name but who keeps entering an incorrect password. Generally, too many invalid logon attempts in a short time indicate that someone is try to guess the password and break in using that account.

• Windows XP’s auditing functionality enables you to monitor user and operating system activities on a computer. You can then use this information to detect intruders and other undesirable activity. Understanding how to implement and manage auditing is an important part of overall security policy.

• A User Rights Assignment gives the user the ability to perform a particular task, such as backing up the computer, changing the time, or shutting down the computer. User rights are very different from permissions. User rights pertain to a user’s ability to perform specific functions on a computer. Permissions control a user’s ability to access resources such as files, folders, and printers.