Preventing new login account creation

[Trent SC]

Apologies, I've been hit with the stupid stick today.

A colleague has a computer with a single, password-protected administrator
login on their XP Home machine which they've password-protected in order to
prevent flatmates from accessing personal data and running up huge internet
bills.

However, one flatmate seems to have got around the access problem by simply
creating a new profile and diving onto the internet anyway. How does my
colleague set up the accounts so as to prevent the creation of another user
account at any level, even with minimal privileges? I know it's possible,
but my brain's working particularly slowly today.

TIA

 

[Malke]

Apologies, I've been hit with the stupid stick today.

A colleague has a computer with a single, password-protected
administrator login on their XP Home machine which they've
password-protected in order to prevent flatmates from accessing
personal data and running up huge internet bills.

However, one flatmate seems to have got around the access problem by
simply
creating a new profile and diving onto the internet anyway. How does
my colleague set up the accounts so as to prevent the creation of
another user
account at any level, even with minimal privileges? I know it's
possible, but my brain's working particularly slowly today.

TIA

Here's the thing - physical access coupled with skill and time means
that any computer running any operating system can be gotten into.
There are a few things your friend can do but if the flatmate has time
and is clever, if he has access to the computer he can break in.

1. Set BIOS level passwords for both starting the operating system and
for changing CMOS settings.

2. Set the computer to boot from the hard drive first.

3. Set a strong password on all accounts made on the computer. It is not
good to use the built-in Administrator password for day-to-day use and
to only have that one account on the computer. Your friend should make
a second account and use that instead, leaving the Administrator
account as a fallback account for emergencies.

4. Lock Windows with a screensaver/blank that requires the password when
your friend steps away for a short while.

5. Get more reliable flatmates or live alone. ;-)

Malke

 

[Guest]

Create a regular user account to surf with and share occasionally with flat
mates. A regular user account will not be able to create more users.