Windows Xp: Simple Way Of Obtaining Admin Access

[remy 0]

I doubt this can even qualify as an exploit, but here is a way to obtain admin access for windows xp in less than 5 minutes.1. Restart the computer in safe mode2. When the computer boots up you will be at the user's screen. All users will be displayed here, and one extra should appear at the top of the screen 'Admin'.3. Use the Admin user, it doesnt require a password. Here you can do anything you can normally do as admin, change user restrictions, create users...the works.Almost everyone here probably know this, but for those who dont...have fun.

Notice from m^e:

Topic title edited to reflect nature of post content in a better way.

Edited June 11, 2005 by microscopic^earthling (see edit history)

[@non 0]

what..i mean..seriously.. isnt that only if the administrator has put a password on it...if that would work it would be like saying that if you press ctrl+alt+delete at the user screen and then typing admin and no password then it would login...unless this is somthing special about being in safe mode.

[Klass 0]

This is for Windows XP Home users, and this is if they have not set the Administrator password. Which when you take it out of the box and turn it in you have the option to set the password or skip.I have seen this before but it is for Windows XP Home users.

[Slngz 0]

yea hes right, this can only be achieved if an administration password hasnt been set!gr8 fun getting onto m8s pcs tho - the average user most probably wouldnt have set an admin password - so u can get into their pcs muhaha

[saxsux 0]

what..i mean..seriously.. isnt that only if the administrator has put a password on it...

 

if that would work it would be like saying that if you press ctrl+alt+delete at the user screen and then typing admin and no password then it would login...

 

unless this is somthing special about being in safe mode.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, it only works in safe mode. But, while your in Safe Mode, you could create another admin account to use normally. Restart your computer and then login as that admin account.

[miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG 0]

Nice tip - that solves a lot of questions regarding lost admin passwords on the XP genre. That's a really cooool tip - as long as you've got direct access to the XP box. But anyways, as long as you;ve got direct access to the machine in concern, you can, somehow or the other, manage to get in - even if it was linux that we were talking about (which is about 'n' million times more secure than any version of Windows will EVER BE)....

 

Popular Quote: Linux: What Windows will NEVER BE

[tansqrx 0]

OMG who doesn't set an administrator password?!? Well to answer my own question I suspose more than I would like to admit. This post was actually a surprise to me and I do security work for hobby. I have never installed XP Home and I always assumed that it was like Pro in that you had to set the administrator password during setup. How could Microsoft be so hair brained to leave an open administrator account. This is going to make me look at XP Home in a completely new way - a new toy to exploit.

On a similar note, you do not have to be at the physical computer to take advantage of a blank admin password. You can connect using null accounts. You may look into some tools such as superscan 4 http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ or enum (can't remember the site)

Damn, I'm going to start scaning for XP Home right now.........

[qwijibow 0]

This isnt shocking at all, not really an exploit.When someone has physical access to a computer, all securety goes out the window.Even in Linux with an encrypted root partiton, ayone could get to the hard disk, and alter the only partiton thats not encryptied (the boot partiton) and root the kernel.computer securety only assumes nobody has physical access to the machine.

[remy 0]

This isnt shocking at all, not really an exploit.

When someone has physical access to a computer, all securety goes out the window.

 

Even in Linux with an encrypted root partiton, ayone could get to the hard disk, and alter the only partiton thats not encryptied (the boot partiton) and root the kernel.

 

computer securety only assumes nobody has physical access to the machine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

like i said, its not an exploit. and although i agree security assumes nobody has physical access to the machine...and exploit usually DOES assume you have access to the box.