PC Magazine Windows XP Security Solutions
Chapter One
Implementing User
Accounts, Groups,
and Logon Security
Securing your computer is in many ways like securing your home - you shouldn't rely on any
one method to keep the outside world from getting in. Instead, you take a number of different
measures that might include locking doors, installing an alarm system, and hopefully not alerting
would-be attackers that lots of cool stuff is inside.
When it comes to securing Windows XP, you're given the choice of leaving the front door open or
putting a lock in place. This door lock is known as a user account, specifically a user account that
includes a password. For a first line of defense in the quest to secure Windows XP and ensure user
privacy, begin with user accounts.
This isn't to say that user accounts are strictly a security-related feature of Windows XP; they certainly
have other reasons for being. However, user accounts are a key component toward changing
your computer from being an open book to a secure fortress.
This chapter focuses on what user accounts are, the different types of accounts that exist, and
how to create and configure them to ensure better system security. Along the way, you also learn ... read full excerpt from PC Magazine Windows XP Security Solutions ebook
