Is there not a presumption that with physical access to a machine it can be rooted if you try hard enough? I certainly make that presumption. The number of Macs I've unlocked by creating a new admin by removing the "install is finished" file in single user mode is in the teens.
Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
31–40 of 124 posts
Re: Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
In all seriousness, why is Fedora the mosts worthy Linux out of them all, in terms of privacy and security? I thought those two were kind of an inherent staple of all Linux distros? In the past I've used Debian Stable with AwesomeWM (the inspiration for Mjolnir) and it felt pretty secure?
I meant the hat not the distro. I use Ubuntu, I am happy with it. Before that used Debian and Slackware. Was happy with those too. Used it for 15 years. Can't complain. I don't feel my computing has been hurt by using Linux. And over time it seems as it's the only sane choice.
I am also a proud and happy Linux user going on about 10 years now, and what's great is that I know all the knowledge I've acquired will still be relevant many decades into the future -- not sure the same can be said of Windows or MacOS.
Re: Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
#33There must be an option to stop full automation of upgrade process or MS can just recommend disconnecting from network while upgrade is taking place.
MS does it for connivence I assume, so people aren't promoted while upgrade is taking place. This is my presumption, I may be wrong.
Re: Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
Although I think it's strange what they exclude. For example, they didn't include Calculator in Windows Server 2016 LTSB: http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-server-2016-ltsb-whats-... Sure, maybe you wouldn't use it that much, but it's small and useful.
The Windows 10 Calculator is a Store app, and Server 2016 LTSB doesn't include Store apps. Therefore, Server 2016 LTSB doesn't have Calculator. While I guess they could bundle the Windows 7/8 Calculator with Server 2016, that would make server and desktop Windows different (for a feature that both include).
https://redmondmag.com/articles/2015/06/09/edge-windows-10-s...
http://www.techradar.com/news/software/microsoft-edge-s-ente...
Re: Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
>i only remove csript.exe and wscript.exe. You are no longer running Windows, you are running alien3d's-special-snowflake-version. Please don't be surprised when many third party programs/games no longer run, because, some of my software certainly won't.
We are dealing with this right now with our software. Our end users on Windows 7 who haven't kept their machine up to date can't install the VC++ 2015 redistributable which is required to run our software. It's a Microsoft problem but it's still frustrating having to do basic tech support for them just because they won't let Windows do the updates that it is insistently but politely asking them to let it do. Not a pr…
Re: Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
#36I haven't used Windows for years now, so the details are a bit fuzzy, but it essentially worked like this:
Start the machine. During boot(when you see the orb splashscreen), turn off power or hold down the power button for a few seconds.
The next time you boot up the machine, windows will say it failed to boot and offer to go into startup repair. Do that, wait for some time, and click through until eventually you see a bug report that you can open up in notepad.
Once you are in notepad, open up the "open file" dialog. From there, navigate to "C:\Windows\System32" and replace "sethc.exe" with "cmd.exe". Now, reboot normally.
Once you reach the login screen, spam left shift until you get a command prompt with admin privileges. Now, you can create new users, change the password and privileges of existing users, or even start up explorer.exe and use the computer normally as admin, bypassing the login screen entirely.
This works because "sethc.exe" is the executable responsible for Sticky Keys, which is activated by pressing shift repeatedly. Instead of sethc.exe, now cmd.exe would be run instead.
Re: Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
>i only remove csript.exe and wscript.exe. You are no longer running Windows, you are running alien3d's-special-snowflake-version. Please don't be surprised when many third party programs/games no longer run, because, some of my software certainly won't.
We are dealing with this right now with our software. Our end users on Windows 7 who haven't kept their machine up to date can't install the VC++ 2015 redistributable which is required to run our software. It's a Microsoft problem but it's still frustrating having to do basic tech support for them just because they won't let Windows do the updates that it is insistently but politely asking them to let it do. Not a pr…
Re: Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
#38I don't know whether this works in newer versions of Windows, but it was extremely simple to elevate your priveleges on almost any Windows 7 machine. I've done this dozens of times. I haven't used Windows for years now, so the details are a bit fuzzy, but it essentially worked like this: Start the machine. During boot(when you see the orb splashscreen), turn off power or hold down the power button for a few seconds.…
Edit: To clarify why that isn't the case here, the Windows 10 upgrade process suspends BitLocker.
Re: Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
#39I don't know whether this works in newer versions of Windows, but it was extremely simple to elevate your priveleges on almost any Windows 7 machine. I've done this dozens of times. I haven't used Windows for years now, so the details are a bit fuzzy, but it essentially worked like this: Start the machine. During boot(when you see the orb splashscreen), turn off power or hold down the power button for a few seconds.…
Re: Windows 10 in-place upgrades are a severe security risk
#40Is there not a presumption that with physical access to a machine it can be rooted if you try hard enough? I certainly make that presumption. The number of Macs I've unlocked by creating a new admin by removing the "install is finished" file in single user mode is in the teens.
What's the procedure, in case I need to unlock a mac someday?