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    Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?

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    • scottalanmillerS
      scottalanmiller @Dashrender
      last edited by

      @Dashrender said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

      I don't see this being a real issue. Any decent domain setup will have the local accounts on the end user devices removed from the local admin, so the use of these reset passwords become moot.

      Right, but you have one huge flaw in that plan... the assumption of AD. Since AD isn't a given, nor a "good" way to do things, your assumtion fails for basic security. Sure, there is an option to fix this, but it's an add on, costly option. The system itself is insecure.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • scottalanmillerS
        scottalanmiller
        last edited by

        If you need to buy and configure a separate system to "fix" a known security hole, that's not a justification for bad security, that's a highlighting of how well known the problem is!

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • DashrenderD
          Dashrender
          last edited by

          I guess I did read AD into the articles talking about corporate use.

          I agree that the baseline setup is insecure. Adding reset questions for end users - just /sigh.

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          • ObsolesceO
            Obsolesce @mlnews
            last edited by

            @mlnews because home / non-domain users who forget their passwords need a way back in.

            This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

            scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • scottalanmillerS
              scottalanmiller @Obsolesce
              last edited by

              @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

              This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

              Correct, as a standard local account. The "normal" way. Most people don't use AD, even in business this is dropping off quickly. And lots of people don't want to deal with those ridiculous MS accounts that they try to ram down everyone's throats. And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

              DashrenderD ObsolesceO JaredBuschJ 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • DashrenderD
                Dashrender @scottalanmiller
                last edited by

                @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

                Correct, as a standard local account. The "normal" way. Most people don't use AD, even in business this is dropping off quickly. And lots of people don't want to deal with those ridiculous MS accounts that they try to ram down everyone's throats. And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

                While I don't actually know specifically - I'd like to think they are at least as secure as Google's accounts are.

                and Scott's correct - if you're using Windows 10 in any way other than on AD, the local admin account has these questions - the article seems to imply non admin accounts don't have these questions.

                scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • scottalanmillerS
                  scottalanmiller @Dashrender
                  last edited by

                  @Dashrender said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                  @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                  @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                  This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

                  Correct, as a standard local account. The "normal" way. Most people don't use AD, even in business this is dropping off quickly. And lots of people don't want to deal with those ridiculous MS accounts that they try to ram down everyone's throats. And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

                  While I don't actually know specifically - I'd like to think they are at least as secure as Google's accounts are.

                  Maybe, but it's hard to take them seriously for account security, in the middle of discussing how they don't take account security seriously. Know what I mean?

                  DashrenderD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • ObsolesceO
                    Obsolesce @scottalanmiller
                    last edited by Obsolesce

                    @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                    @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                    This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

                    And lots of people don't want to deal with those ridiculous MS accounts that they try to ram down everyone's throats. And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

                    I use an outlook.com MS account for most things. 2FA via app notification. I also use that for my personal PC login. So, more secure than enterprise IMO (unless you're in one that actually uses 2FA with AD if you're only talking MS shops).

                    DashrenderD ObsolesceO 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • DashrenderD
                      Dashrender @scottalanmiller
                      last edited by

                      @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                      @Dashrender said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                      @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                      @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                      This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

                      Correct, as a standard local account. The "normal" way. Most people don't use AD, even in business this is dropping off quickly. And lots of people don't want to deal with those ridiculous MS accounts that they try to ram down everyone's throats. And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

                      While I don't actually know specifically - I'd like to think they are at least as secure as Google's accounts are.

                      Maybe, but it's hard to take them seriously for account security, in the middle of discussing how they don't take account security seriously. Know what I mean?

                      /sigh - yeah I know...

                      At the same time - I totally understand why they did - as @Obsolesce just said - it's for users who can't be bothered to create the recovery USB key when they forget their password for the admin account.

                      scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • DashrenderD
                        Dashrender @Obsolesce
                        last edited by

                        @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                        @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                        @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                        This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

                        And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

                        I use an outlook.com MS account for most things. 2FA via app notification. I also use that for my personal PC login. So, more secure than enterprise IMO (unless you're in one that actually uses 2FA with AD if you're only talking MS shops).

                        Do you get a 2FA prompt when logging into the desktop? I never did.

                        ObsolesceO 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • ObsolesceO
                          Obsolesce @Obsolesce
                          last edited by

                          This post is deleted!
                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • ObsolesceO
                            Obsolesce @Dashrender
                            last edited by Obsolesce

                            @Dashrender said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                            @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                            @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                            @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                            This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

                            And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

                            I use an outlook.com MS account for most things. 2FA via app notification. I also use that for my personal PC login. So, more secure than enterprise IMO (unless you're in one that actually uses 2FA with AD if you're only talking MS shops).

                            Do you get a 2FA prompt when logging into the desktop? I never did.

                            No, but how is that less secure than a local account? They are both just a username and password, except one requires 2FA.

                            Edit: You can enable 2FA on your Win10 PC with outlook.com / MS account. I choose not to, willing to risk someone breaking into my house, stealing my encrypted PC, and guessing my password.

                            DashrenderD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • DashrenderD
                              Dashrender @Obsolesce
                              last edited by

                              @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                              @Dashrender said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                              @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                              @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                              @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                              This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

                              And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

                              I use an outlook.com MS account for most things. 2FA via app notification. I also use that for my personal PC login. So, more secure than enterprise IMO (unless you're in one that actually uses 2FA with AD if you're only talking MS shops).

                              Do you get a 2FA prompt when logging into the desktop? I never did.

                              No, but how is that less secure than a local account? They are both just a username and password, except one requires 2FA.

                              It's arguably less because the creds could be stolen from MS and your PC, where a local account could only be stolen from you PC. 2FA has nothing to do with that, from a logging onto the physical device at least.

                              ObsolesceO 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • ObsolesceO
                                Obsolesce @Dashrender
                                last edited by

                                @Dashrender said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                @Dashrender said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

                                And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

                                I use an outlook.com MS account for most things. 2FA via app notification. I also use that for my personal PC login. So, more secure than enterprise IMO (unless you're in one that actually uses 2FA with AD if you're only talking MS shops).

                                Do you get a 2FA prompt when logging into the desktop? I never did.

                                No, but how is that less secure than a local account? They are both just a username and password, except one requires 2FA.

                                It's arguably less because the creds could be stolen from MS and your PC, where a local account could only be stolen from you PC. 2FA has nothing to do with that, from a logging onto the physical device at least.

                                My credentials aren't going to be stolen from MS... how would that even work? Credentials being stolen from the PC are no more likely than a local user account credentials being stolen from the PC. Or, maybe I will enable 2FA PC login.

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                                • scottalanmillerS
                                  scottalanmiller @Dashrender
                                  last edited by

                                  @Dashrender said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                  @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                  @Dashrender said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                  @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                  @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                  This only occurs, that I've seen, during OOBE when you set up the PC as a local, non-domain, non-Microsoft-Account, user.

                                  Correct, as a standard local account. The "normal" way. Most people don't use AD, even in business this is dropping off quickly. And lots of people don't want to deal with those ridiculous MS accounts that they try to ram down everyone's throats. And who knows how secure those are, anyway.

                                  While I don't actually know specifically - I'd like to think they are at least as secure as Google's accounts are.

                                  Maybe, but it's hard to take them seriously for account security, in the middle of discussing how they don't take account security seriously. Know what I mean?

                                  /sigh - yeah I know...

                                  At the same time - I totally understand why they did - as @Obsolesce just said - it's for users who can't be bothered to create the recovery USB key when they forget their password for the admin account.

                                  That's not what it is for. If they were doing it for that reason, it would be optional. Forcing it is logically only to put local accounts at risk to further an agenda of making people feel that they must use Microsoft's data collection services to log in.

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                                  • C
                                    Curtis
                                    last edited by

                                    I never, ever answer security questions with real information.

                                    scottalanmillerS ObsolesceO 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • scottalanmillerS
                                      scottalanmiller @Curtis
                                      last edited by

                                      @Curtis said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                      I never, ever answer security questions with real information.

                                      That's a good practice. Have your own secret code system.

                                      DashrenderD DustinB3403D 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • ObsolesceO
                                        Obsolesce @Curtis
                                        last edited by

                                        @Curtis said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                        I never, ever answer security questions with real information.

                                        Real pros use their password as their security question answers.

                                        DashrenderD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • DashrenderD
                                          Dashrender @scottalanmiller
                                          last edited by

                                          @scottalanmiller said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                          @Curtis said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                          I never, ever answer security questions with real information.

                                          That's a good practice. Have your own secret code system.

                                          I tried that - but promptly forgot the fake answers I gave.
                                          😞

                                          scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • DashrenderD
                                            Dashrender @Obsolesce
                                            last edited by

                                            @Obsolesce said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                            @Curtis said in Why, in 2018, is Microsoft adding security questions to Windows 10?:

                                            I never, ever answer security questions with real information.

                                            Real pros use their password as their security question answers.

                                            LOL

                                            along those lines - since I do have AD and I remove all local accounts from local admin - when setting up a computer I just choose the first question and the same answer for them all .

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