Windows XP is going to expire. As much as you want to hold on to it, it is going away. And after more than a decade, its updates will end in the next year or so as it fades away. Many people we talk with are missing updates or they plan on holding on. Here’s something your users may be doing to you without your knowledge if you have Windows XP.
If you fail to disable the command prompt, a user with limited rights can go to a command prompt by typing cmd.
At the command prompt, the user then types taskmgr
The user then ends explorer.exe under the processes tab and then types at (they enter the time in 24 hour format and add a minute or two to the current time) /interactive cmd.exe
Example: Current time is 23:09:00
The user then types: at 23:10:00 /interactive cmd.exe
They then can exit and wait for the time they entered. A command prompt will open and the user can then Go to file on the Task Manager and enter explorer.exe (Explorer will now restart). The user is now operating as an administrator. The user can add users, install programs and do what they want.
How do you fix this?
Simple – upgrade to Windows 7 or disable the command prompt.
We do not support malicious use of any device. This tutorial shows how someone can bypass the Administrator’s account. This is for the readers’ awareness and methods to prevent this should be used to prevent these actions.
Disabling the Command Prompt
Start > Run and type gpedit.msc. Then go to:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System
Home Edition? Use the registry.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Policies > Microsoft > Windows > System
In the right panel you have the DWORD value DisableCMD. Change the value 0×00000001.
April 8 2014 is the last date I heard on XP expiring..If you heard something else I would like to know.
That will be it!
Desktop operating systems
Latest service pack
End of mainstream support
End of extended support
Windows XP Service Pack 3 April 14, 2009 April 8, 2014