Use SysKey utility to lock Windows computer using USB stick

SysKey is an in-built Windows utility that tin aid you secure the Security Accounts Management or SAM database. In case you do not know, the SAM Database stores hashed copies of our user passwords, which is encrypted with a locally stored system key.

The Windows operating system prevents the use of stored, unencrypted password hashes and requires that the password hashes and user data be encrypted. These crypted versions of the passwords are usually stored in a file called sam, plant in system32\config folder. This file is a part of the registry, in a binary format, and not easily attainable.

If you wish to provide boosted security to the SAM Database, you lot can utilize SysKey to motility the SAM database encryption central off your figurer. Moreover, using SysKey, you can also configure a commencement-upwards password to be entered in order to decrypt the system key, so that the SAM database can exist accessed.

In this article, I will tell yous how y'all can use SysKey or the SAM Lock Tool to further secure the Windows Security Accounts Direction database.

UPDATE: Syskey.exe utility is no longer supported in Windows 10 v1709 and later. If yous want to use boot-time OS security, yous may utilise BitLocker.

Syskey Utility

To open the SAM Lock Tool, type syskey in start search and hit Enter.

Click on Update, for the default selection of Encryption enabled.

Select the Password Startup option, if you want to crave a password to showtime Windows. Make sure you use a strong password – you can use one hither which is 12 to 128 characters long! If you lot do non want to exercise this pick, continue information technology unselected.

If y'all choose to Store Startup Primal Locally, it will store a key equally a part of the operating system, and no interaction is required from the user during system startup. If yous chose this pick, i.e. Store Startup Central Locally, and click OK, you will get a message saying that the Business relationship database outset-upwards key was changed.

Click OK again, and the utility will exit. Now every fourth dimension your reckoner boots, if yous had opted for the Countersign Startup option, y'all volition be asked to enter a Startup Countersign, earlier you lot can continue to log in using your login credentials.

If you select Shop Startup Key on Floppy Disk, to store the system startup countersign on a floppy disk and clicked OK, you will exist asked to insert your floppy, or in our example, the USB stick – no one uses a floppy these days – then you may apply a USB stick.

It is important to note that the media has to be mounted on Bulldoze A. Using Disk Direction, you can of course always first assign this bulldoze alphabetic character to your USB pollex drive, before running SysKey.

Once you lot have inserted your USB stick, click OK. The Startup fundamental will at present be saved on your USB stick!

Now to login into your computer, you will demand to insert the USB stick offset, when you kick your figurer. If you do not insert the USB stick, yous will not be able to log in. When you insert the USB stick, Windows loads the encryption cardinal from drive 'A' – which is where you will accept inserted your USB. If you have set a password, yous will exist asked to enter it, earlier y'all can go on to enter your login credentials.

Syskey Removal

To contrary this action and disable SysKey, run SysKey again and this time choose to Shop Startup Cardinal Locally.

Incidentally, way back in 1999, a security hole was found in SysKey which allowed it to be hacked with the help of some creature force attacking tools. But a fix for this SysKey Bug was later on released and the hole patched upwards.

The SAM Lock Tool may not provide fool-proof security – at to the lowest degree not from professional hackers – but at to the lowest degree information technology is one boosted layer of security – apart from using BitLocker – you can give to your Windows 7 computer.

Some of yous may want to check out this list of free software that helps you lock Windows using USB Pen Drive.

Source: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/inbuilt-syskey-utility-lock-windows-7-computer-usb-stick

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