user passwords in clear text

[Oelp]

Our users keep forgetting their passwords. Is there a way how I as an admin can see their passwords on my w2k server?
Maybe somewhere in the AD structure?
Thanks for your help.

 

[GiaBetiu]

As I know there is no such an offical way.
And I think that it is keeping a hash of the password. Gia Betiu
m.betiu@chello.nl
Computer Eng. CNE 4, CNE 5, soon MCSE2k

 

[InfrArch]

There is no such a possibility. (except some hackers tools - ofcourse you don't need it , isn't it Thuthermore, Admin MUST know nothing regarding user's passwords, otherwise it's a big security hole . So, simply change user's passwords , or review company internal security policy.
Best regards.
Victor
MCSE(W2k);CNE(5.1&6);MCSE+I;CIWSP;CIWSA

 

[NickFerrar]

The hashing is one-way so can't be undone (not without a brute force attack anyway). As others have said - it's a fundamental security issue that no one on the system should be able to see other people's passwords.

Unless you get biometric log-on devices (such as thumb print readers) you're pretty much stuck with having to manually reset user passwords when they inevitably forget them.

 

[ashpp]

Hi,

Is there any way of using some kind of override admin password??
Basically I have a remote office with around 20 users, they are using romaing profiles. If a customer reports a problem I usually try to replicate by logging in as them. The problem is... I don't want to know their passwords.

Has anyone ever come across some kind of tool that will temporary change the users password to a generic one (and then back to their default) to let me in. Or any other solution to the problem?

Thanks

Ash.

 

[GlenJohnson]

If they report a problem, have them give you the password, then set there account to must change password at next logon. Glen A. Johnson
Johnson Computer Consulting
MCP W2K
glen@johnsoncomputers.us



"What really happens is trivial in comparison to what could occur."
Robert von Musil (1880-1942); Austrian author.

 

[Oelp]

Ashley
I think its not possible to have two passwords for one account. But you could create a test user for yourself who has the same rights and is member of the same groups as your users. When there are problems, you can login as your testuser and so check everything out.
(Hope this makes sense)

 

[NickFerrar]

No such password-switching tool/functionality exists and if one did it would be abused by hackers to such an extent it would make Win2k unusable.