Stored passwords on stolen laptop

[Zed]

We recently had a notebook stolen. How many domain passwords does a XP pro
client store. How secure are those passwords? I would be hard pressed to
remember how domain users have used that notebook. Do I need to have
everybody reset their passwords?

Thanks,
Zed

 

[Dusko Savatovic]

Yes! Those passwords are compromised.
Inform or initiate password change for everyone. Immediately.

Dusko Savatovic

 

[Bruce Chambers]

We recently had a notebook stolen. How many domain passwords does a XP pro
client store.

By default, WinXP will store a maximum of 10 sets of cached domain
credentials. This number, however, can be raised to the absolute
maximum of 50 by means of a simple registry edit.

How secure are those passwords?

The passwords are not at all secure, as you've lost physical control of
the computer. It takes only a few seconds and Google to find many
password-cracking utilities on the Internet.

.. I would be hard pressed to

remember how domain users have used that notebook. Do I need to have
everybody reset their passwords?

That would certainly be best, if you want to be reasonably confident of
maintaining your domain's security. If you use a standard password for
the local Administrator account on each machine, don't forget to change
that, as well. Also, if you follow the common practice of renaming that
built-in local Administrator account, you should probably come up with a
new name.






--

Bruce Chambers

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[Guest]

Yes its extremely easy to crack any passwords even those with both numbers
and letters in a matter of minutes literally, the programs that do this are
also free downloads so anyone can get thier hands on them, I would
immediately have them changed and sorry about the loss.