> [...]
> > The only additional security with the shadow file is that it is readable
> > only by root, and that's actually one thing that Windows NT does BETTER.
> > On Window NT, the SAM database is actually open and locked by the operating
> > system and is not directly readable by ANYONE (not even the administrators)
> > while the OS is booted. That means crack the OS, physical access to reboot,
> > or brute force. With the shadow password, you only have to break root.
> > Then you have full access.
> If you break root, you've got full access anyway, so this is moot. I'd
> assume if you crack any admin user on WinNT you also have full powers...
Actually, not totally... But pretty darn close. You can't just
open the SAM file and grab hashes the way you can grab the shadow file.
The OS holds the file open and locked, denying access to anything that's
not going through the designated access functions. To crack this is
slightly more complicated. You have to create something that will run
in "safe mode" when NT is booting up. Then link it in to run. Then reboot
the box. All doable....
> --
> Horst von Brand vonbrand@sleipnir.valparaiso.cl
> Casilla 9G, Viņa del Mar, Chile +56 32 672616
Mike
-- Michael H. Warfield | (770) 985-6132 | mhw@WittsEnd.com (The Mad Wizard) | (770) 925-8248 | http://www.wittsend.com/mhw/ NIC whois: MHW9 | An optimist believes we live in the best of all PGP Key: 0xDF1DD471 | possible worlds. A pessimist is sure of it!
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