Multimedia Keyboard Hotkey Security?

[Denis]

I use Windows XP: Pro. I have a multimedia/Internet
keyboard with built in hotkey buttons that allow me to
open applications such as Word, Excel, Calendar, MSIE, MY
Computer, etc. Is there anyway to disable them when I'm
not Logged off but on the blue welcome screen (after
switching users)? Because if another user just presses
those hotkeys, the applications will open themselves in
my logged on account (I see them after I log back on).
Also, is there any software or method to lock my screen
that disables all keyboard keys beside
the "letter/number" keys on the keyboard? I tried a
couple "Screen Lock programs" but those hotkey buttons
can still be used (the applications still run) when I'm
in screen lock.

 

[Joshua Smith [MSFT]]

What is the specific keyboard make and model that you have? I would like to
be able to reproduce this. This is not supposed to happen. Once you log out
of our session or lock the workstation your session is not supposed to get
any keyboard data until you log back in.

 

[Denis]

I use an ORtek MCK-8500 Multimedia Keyboard (check out
http://www.ortek.com)... It's an internet keyboard. But
to answer your question... you're right. This doesn't
happen when I completely log out (pressing the hotkey
buttons doesn't trigger anything). It only happens when I
Switch Users (I don't completely log out). When I switch
out, pressing the hotkeys/buttons on the keyboard will
still open up those programs in the background, which I
see occur when I log back into my account.

Thanks,

Denis

P.S. for Lawrence: I'm still investigating the use of
hardware profiles! Thanks for the suggestion though. =)

 

[Lawrence]

I don't think I can use hardware profiles to regulate my
hotkeys in this scenario because the Device Manager does
not let me DISABLE my current keyboard driver. So I can't
create a profile with the driver disabled.

I had an idea though after the investigating hardware
profiles. Is there a way to to manually "add" another
driver to the keyboards category in device manager...?
such that the hotkeys cannot operate with this driver...
But again, I'm not sure this will work because it seems
as though my hotkeys function with any Win XP keyboard
driver... they don't need a special one from the
manufacturer. When I bought the keyboard and plugged it
in, the hotkeys worked just fine before the old keyboard
driver was updated. And my old keyboard is a standard
keyboard with no built in buttons/hotkeys. Sorry for the
disappointment, but if you know of other solutions or can
correct me anywhere, please let me know. =)

Thanks for the input though.

Hi Denis,
Just to clarify what I meant.... it wouldn't be necessary to disable the
driver, in device manager... The idea was to create a profile which had the
keys disabled by using your keyboard's own software -- while logged in using
that profile.

I just did a little experiment, and the idea worked! Well... half-worked

I logged into another account, and reprogrammed a couple of the additional
buttons. I gave them alternate functions than what the account I am
composing this message in, and the alternate functions worked, without
changing them when in the normal account. I switched back and forth several
times, and each time the account-specific functionality remain.

But there's the problem.

I disabled the "My Computer" button in my test account, which indeed
disabled it, but when I returned to my normal account, "My Computer" was
open. (Which is what it's profile was set to do)
I also reprogrammed the Calculator Button to open Outlook Express in the
test account....which worked.... but when I returned to the normal one,
there was a Calculator on my screen... soooo.

So, pushing any of the programmable buttons sends the data it is programmed
to in the terms defined for that account. If I had had 6 accounts up, each
with a different function assigned... pushing the one button would get 6
different results in the respective accounts.

Joshua? Any input on this? It seems the buttons do always work to pass
data, regardless of what the data might be, in a particular account's
assignments....

I am using a Microsoft Internet Keyboard Pro USB.

Anyway... the experiment *was* mildly interesting....

Good luck on your quest,
-Lawrence in Seattle

 

[Joshua Smith [MSFT]]

So I tried playing around with this this morning and couldn't get it to
happen for me. Could one or both of you provide me with specific steps for
me to reproduce this? Things to include are account types this works with
(Administrator, Guest, User, etc.), The software you used and version ( I
found the software for the ORtek ), whether or not you have good Anti Virus
software ( type and up-to-date).


Another good way to send system information would be using the System
Information utility.

1. Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System
Information
2. Open the following to refresh the info:
Components - Input - Keyboard
Software Environment - System Drivers
Software Environment - Running Tasks
Software Environment - Loaded Modules
Software Environment - Services
Software Environment - Startup Programs
3. Click File -> Save
4. Save the output and either send directly to me or post back here.

Thanks.

 

[Lawrence]

So I tried playing around with this this morning and couldn't get it to
happen for me. Could one or both of you provide me with specific steps for
me to reproduce this? Things to include are account types this works with
(Administrator, Guest, User, etc.), The software you used and version ( I
found the software for the ORtek ), whether or not you have good Anti Virus
software ( type and up-to-date).


Another good way to send system information would be using the System
Information utility.

1. Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System
Information
2. Open the following to refresh the info:
Components - Input - Keyboard
Software Environment - System Drivers
Software Environment - Running Tasks
Software Environment - Loaded Modules
Software Environment - Services
Software Environment - Startup Programs
3. Click File -> Save
4. Save the output and either send directly to me or post back here.

Thanks.

Greetings,
I sent the file directly to your email as listed in this NG.

The account I used in my experiments, was a limited account (generic
limitations).
I use XP Home, Build 2600.xpsp2.030422-1633 (Service Pack 1)

Have fun,
-Lawrence in Seattle

 

[Lawrence]

Greetings,
I sent the file directly to your email as listed in this NG.

The account I used in my experiments, was a limited account (generic
limitations).
I use XP Home, Build 2600.xpsp2.030422-1633 (Service Pack 1)

Have fun,
-Lawrence in Seattle

The email I sent you bounced back. Still want the file? Got a better
address?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

(e-mail address removed)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Denis]

Hi Denis,
Just to clarify what I meant.... it wouldn't be necessary to disable the
driver, in device manager... The idea was to create a profile which had the
keys disabled by using your keyboard's own software -- while logged in using
that profile.

I just did a little experiment, and the idea worked! Well... half-worked

I logged into another account, and reprogrammed a couple of the additional
buttons. I gave them alternate functions than what the account I am
composing this message in, and the alternate functions worked, without
changing them when in the normal account. I switched back and forth several
times, and each time the account-specific functionality remain.

But there's the problem.

I disabled the "My Computer" button in my test account, which indeed
disabled it, but when I returned to my normal account, "My Computer" was
open. (Which is what it's profile was set to do)
I also reprogrammed the Calculator Button to open Outlook Express in the
test account....which worked.... but when I returned to the normal one,
there was a Calculator on my screen... soooo.

So, pushing any of the programmable buttons sends the data it is programmed
to in the terms defined for that account. If I had had 6 accounts up, each
with a different function assigned... pushing the one button would get 6
different results in the respective accounts.

Joshua? Any input on this? It seems the buttons do always work to pass
data, regardless of what the data might be, in a particular account's
assignments....

I am using a Microsoft Internet Keyboard Pro USB.

Anyway... the experiment *was* mildly interesting....

Good luck on your quest,
-Lawrence in Seattle

Hey, sorry for the delays in responding =/ I was out of town for these
couple days. Hrm... Can you either email me or reply to this group the steps
you took to create one different hardware profile with the button/hotkeys
changed? I'm not exactly sure how to do it...

When you say you reprogrammed the buttons, you used the keyboard's software
right? The problem is, my keyboard software doesnt give me the option of
reprogramming all of the buttons. (Such as Word, Excel, and the Office
buttons). It only allows me to reprogram the Internet buttons (back,
forward, new window, refresh, etc.)

Wow, this IS getting interesting...O_o

 

[Denis]

Hi Denis,
Just to clarify what I meant.... it wouldn't be necessary to disable the
driver, in device manager... The idea was to create a profile which had the
keys disabled by using your keyboard's own software -- while logged in using
that profile.

I just did a little experiment, and the idea worked! Well... half-worked

I logged into another account, and reprogrammed a couple of the additional
buttons. I gave them alternate functions than what the account I am
composing this message in, and the alternate functions worked, without
changing them when in the normal account. I switched back and forth several
times, and each time the account-specific functionality remain.

But there's the problem.

I disabled the "My Computer" button in my test account, which indeed
disabled it, but when I returned to my normal account, "My Computer" was
open. (Which is what it's profile was set to do)
I also reprogrammed the Calculator Button to open Outlook Express in the
test account....which worked.... but when I returned to the normal one,
there was a Calculator on my screen... soooo.

So, pushing any of the programmable buttons sends the data it is programmed
to in the terms defined for that account. If I had had 6 accounts up, each
with a different function assigned... pushing the one button would get 6
different results in the respective accounts.

Joshua? Any input on this? It seems the buttons do always work to pass
data, regardless of what the data might be, in a particular account's
assignments....

I am using a Microsoft Internet Keyboard Pro USB.

Anyway... the experiment *was* mildly interesting....

Good luck on your quest,
-Lawrence in Seattle

Hi Denis,
Just to clarify what I meant.... it wouldn't be necessary to disable the
driver, in device manager... The idea was to create a profile which had the
keys disabled by using your keyboard's own software -- while logged in using
that profile.

I just did a little experiment, and the idea worked! Well... half-worked

I logged into another account, and reprogrammed a couple of the additional
buttons. I gave them alternate functions than what the account I am
composing this message in, and the alternate functions worked, without
changing them when in the normal account. I switched back and forth several
times, and each time the account-specific functionality remain.

But there's the problem.

I disabled the "My Computer" button in my test account, which indeed
disabled it, but when I returned to my normal account, "My Computer" was
open. (Which is what it's profile was set to do)
I also reprogrammed the Calculator Button to open Outlook Express in the
test account....which worked.... but when I returned to the normal one,
there was a Calculator on my screen... soooo.

So, pushing any of the programmable buttons sends the data it is programmed
to in the terms defined for that account. If I had had 6 accounts up, each
with a different function assigned... pushing the one button would get 6
different results in the respective accounts.

Joshua? Any input on this? It seems the buttons do always work to pass
data, regardless of what the data might be, in a particular account's
assignments....

I am using a Microsoft Internet Keyboard Pro USB.

Anyway... the experiment *was* mildly interesting....

Good luck on your quest,
-Lawrence in Seattle

Hey Lawrence, sorry for the delays in responding =/ I was out of town for
these couple days. Hrm... Can you either email me or reply to this group the
steps you took to create one different hardware profile with the
button/hotkeys changed? I'm not exactly sure how to do it...

When you say you reprogrammed the buttons, you used the keyboard's software
right? The problem is, my keyboard software doesnt give me the option of
reprogramming all of the buttons. (Such as Word, Excel, and the Office
buttons). It only allows me to reprogram the Internet buttons (back,
forward, new window, refresh, etc.)

Wow, this IS getting interesting...O_o

- Denis from San Jose

 

[Lawrence]

Hey, sorry for the delays in responding =/ I was out of town for these
couple days. Hrm... Can you either email me or reply to this group the steps
you took to create one different hardware profile with the button/hotkeys
changed? I'm not exactly sure how to do it...

When you say you reprogrammed the buttons, you used the keyboard's software
right? The problem is, my keyboard software doesnt give me the option of
reprogramming all of the buttons. (Such as Word, Excel, and the Office
buttons). It only allows me to reprogram the Internet buttons (back,
forward, new window, refresh, etc.)

Wow, this IS getting interesting...O_o

Well.... the Intellitype Software that came with my board, allows me to edit
the function of the browser buttons, email, multimedia, My Computer,
Calculator, and Sleep. But those are the only extra buttons the board I've
got has. (No Office buttons)

I ended up *not* using a separate hardware profile, but instead, just
several user accounts, to test my edits.

I logged into one account, and programmed the buttons for particular
functions.
Then I switched users, logged into another account, and programmed the same
buttons for other functions.

Then, by using the particular button, while logged in as any of the user
accounts I created, I got the particular function that the button had been
programmed for (so the alternate programming works fine)..... but.... ALSO
got the function (in all of the other limboed accounts) for whatever
function the button was supposed to do in that user's account. So one button
can do many things simultaneously, if it has many different functions
assigned to it, in many different accounts that are active.

So in other words.... the buttons work subjectively. They do whatever they
are supposed to do, whatever that is, but they do it in any and all accounts
which are open.

The upshot of this is, there appears to be no way for you to resolve your
issue, because even if you disable the use of the buttons in all other user
accounts, if the other users *do* push those other buttons, and you're still
logged in, those buttons will work in your virtual space.

This is definitely a bug. There should be a trap for this, in software. I
believe that's what Josh is going to report to Microsoft.

It looks like if you programmed one of those buttons to delete files in your
Admin Account, ANY user could push it, and if the Admin account was still
logged in, those file would be deleted.
This is not secure technology.

 

[Denis]

Agreed. Thanks for all the help. This is definitely something MSFT and
keyboard manufacturers should look into.

- Denis