UPDATED 12-30-2021.

There is a fault (maybe it’s a feature) in most later versions of Windows that allows someone with physical access to the computer to change the passwords of users, create new users, and elevate users to administrators. This article will show you how to do this. We are not going to go into extreme detail on this. We are going to assume that you have some basic computer repair skills. We are a San Marcos, TX based managed IT Support business, so we use this hack very often.

Time to Complete: 30 minutes or less
Difficulty level: Medium
Tools needed: A Windows Install Disk that matches the operation system on the computer

Note: This method works with several Windows OS’s. We are going to show you how to do it on a Windows 10 computer.

Step 1 – Replace Utilman.exe with CMD.exe

Boot into the install CD or USB Installer that matches your operating system. If you do not have one there are several tutorials out there that can help you make one.

Click on Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, and finally Command Prompt.

At the command prompt type the following command:

copy c:windowssystem32utilman.exe c:

…and press Enter. You should see a “1 file(s) copied ” confirmation.

Now type this command and hit Enter:

copy c:windowssystem32cmd.exe c:windowssystem32utilman.exe

Answer with Y to the question about overwriting of the utilman.exe file. You should now see another file copy confirmation.

Reboot the computer normally into Windows.

Step 2 – Manipulate the users you need

NOTE: The following NET commands still work for Windows 11 but for Windows 11 you will need to boot into “Safe Mode with Networking” to use them! Thanks Andrew for the tip!

When the Windows logon screen is available, click the Ease of Access icon at the bottom-left corner of the screen. An ADMINISTRATOR Command Prompt will open. There are several commands you might need to use below. In them replace “myuser” with the actual username. Replace “newpassword” with your desired password.

Enter the following command to get a list of users:

net user 

Enter the following command to change the password of an existing user.

net user myuser newpassword

Enter the following command to create a new user:

net user myuser newpassword /add 

Enter the following command to elevate an existing user to an administrator:

net localgroup administrators myuser /add 

Once you have ran than commands that you need to run, log in and double check your work.

Step 3 – Putting Utilman.exe Back

Reboot into the install CD or USB Installer that you used earlier.

Click on Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, and finally Command Prompt.

At the command prompt type the following command:

copy c:utilman.exe c:windowssystem32utilman.exe

Confirm the overwriting by answering Yes. Reboot your computer. Profit!

Times are changing, and businesses are coming up with digitized ways of doing work. Meanwhile, remote working is becoming the norm for modern organizations that look forward to managing their workforce at the lowest cost. However, working remotely presents a unique challenge because of the information security threat. When employees work from home, they are exposed to cyber attacks due to the lack of security controls afforded by an office network environment. Here are some strategies your business can implement to protect your employees when they work outside the office.

Discourage Use of Public Wi-Fi

While most employees isolate themselves socially while working from home, the use of public Wi-Fi is very common among remote workers. A pubic connection increases security risk because other people can access the same network. This potentially allows anyone to easily access crucial company data if there is no firewall. In addition to this, an interested party on the same public system may monitor your workplace data hits and traffic. It is therefore safer to encourage the use of personal networks or hot spots that will ensure that your employees’ data is encrypted.

Enforce Strong Password Security

Password safety is a very reliable means of protecting organizational data. As such, offering password security training is an important step in ensuring that your remote employees’ data is protected. Changing passwords regularly is more crucial now than ever before to ensure maximum security; this should be done every month or after a few months.

Another way to mitigate data security risk is by using a password manager that randomly generates passwords while also storing all the passwords safely. This way, employees will access the company data securely without needing to struggle with remembering all those different passwords every day.

Enforce Use of 2-Factor Authentication

Most companies are currently relying on a two-factor authentication (2FA) approach to secure their data. This ensures that the user’s identity is first confirmed through username and password, then another piece of information is requested, such as a PIN or a “secret question.” With 2FA, passwords cannot be stolen or compromised since it is unlikely that an attacker can guess the correct PIN or question’s answer. You may take a step further by considering a multi-factor authentication, which requires additional verification, such as voice, fingerprint, or retina verification.

Educate your Workforce

Another way of ensuring that your remote workers’ data is safe is to make sure they know how to recognize and stop any security threats. This may require a long-term training and refreshers that help the staff identify the changing risks in the digital working arena. Also, you need a remote work policy that includes security updates, internet access guidelines, and particular messaging applications that would ensure every employee avoids any insecure data access methods. The more informed your team is about cyber security, the more they will be keen on data protection.

Use Encryption Software

Another way to protect remote workers is through the use of encryption software. In case an individual’s device is lost or stolen, the information on the device should never find its way into the wrong hands or cause data breaches. By using encryption software, you will be able to protect the company data against any unauthorized access. Additionally, the programs used for communication should have end-to-end encryption to avoid data leakage.

Whether for business or personal use, the passwords you choose to protect your various accounts matter. Even for seemingly harmless social media sites, there is a lot of personal information that, in the wrong hands, could be used in negative ways. When you are dealing with a business, the risks are that much greater. This is why many businesses are choosing to use password managers, and if you haven’t already, it is definitely something to look into!

What’s the Deal with Passwords, Anyways?

Even though it is a pretty common understanding that poor cyber security leaves a lot at risk, too many people exercise some of the worst password habits. In fact, many people use the same very common passwords for Facebook, personal banking, work log ins, and more. Over 60% of data breaches are a result of either weak, overused, or unguarded passwords. If you consider the type of data you have in various online accounts, then strengthening your password security will begin to become more of a priority. Need to improve your cyber security? Learn about managed IT services in San Marcos, TX.

What Does a Password Manager Do?

Because using a different login for each account is an important part of cyber security, it can be hard to keep track of all of your different usernames and passwords, especially considering that the average person has around 90 different accounts. A password manager is an application that organizes and securely stores this information for you, so you can access the information when you need it, but it is still safe from outside threats. Password managers also make it possible to share passwords in an encrypted form. This way, when you need a login from a coworker or your San Marcos managed IT company, it can be shared securely.

Why is a Password Manager Good for Business?

While using a password manager is great for an individual, it is that much more important to utilize one when you are running a business. When it comes to cyber security, there really isn’t a length too far to go for your company. Not only do you have your employee’s and team member’s info, but your client’s as well. Once implementing a password manager, you will start to experience the benefits on many fronts.

Web development companies in Texas As Resources

Because keeping track of complex passwords has thwarted many people in the past, a lot of time is wasted resetting logins. By having access to their login information, your employees will not have to submit as many new requests to your IT department to reset their passwords. While a password manager might seem like too easy and simple of a solution, it can really offer your IT department a lot of space to focus on more important aspects of the company. Many large IT and web development companies in Texas utilize password managers not only because of the vast improvement to security, but also as a time and resource saver.

Consistency 

Any one of your employees probably has a couple dozen other personal accounts that they keep track of. The risk of having a repeated password used in your business could end up costing you, but then again, remembering so many new unique passwords is almost impossible. Because of this, your team members are probably already using some method of keeping track of their logins. The question is whether or not their method is one that you want them to be using. Have you ever seen someone (or even been someone to) scribble down their username and password on a post it note and stick it on their desk? A shocking 30% of employees save their info like this. By utilizing a password manager, you are giving some much needed uniformity to the system. When it comes to cyber security, you don’t want to throw caution to the wind. Give your associates a secure system that guarantees an accurate record of any login associated with your company!

Looking for more tips about improving security for your business? Contact tekRESCUE, a San Marcos technology company to learn more about security, website design, and web hosting in San Marcos, TX.