Groups > alt.comp.os.windows-10 > #182515

Re: Windows Spotlight shows picture information data on lock screen of one PC, but not others.

From	VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH>
Newsgroups	alt.comp.os.windows-10
Subject	Re: Windows Spotlight shows picture information data on lock screen of one PC, but not others.
Date	2025-02-23 12:35 -0600
Organization	Usenet Elder
Message-ID	<11c91l2g7uznt$.dlg@v.nguard.lh> (permalink)
References	<vpctqt$1jqq$1@dont-email.me> <vpd8ad$3i85$1@dont-email.me>

Show all headers | View raw

Java Jive <java@evij.com.invalid> wrote:

> On 2025-02-22 16:26, Java Jive wrote:
>> 
>> Last night I launched GPEdit.msc on the problem build and disabled all 
>> settings, then launched SecPol.msc and began to do the same, but got 
>> tired before I'd really got into the latter, hibernated the PC, and went 
>> to bed.
>> 
>> This morning, I powered it up, and lo, the Spotlight icon is there!
>> 
>> So I'm guessing that it's either the default browser or the GPEdit 
>> settings, most probably the latter if I manage to nail it down further, 
>> I'll post back.
> 
> Nailed it.  For my builds, it's the following policy setting in 
> GPEdit.msc ...
> 
>      Computer Configuration
>      Windows Settings
>      Security Settings
>      Local Policies
>      Security Options
>      Interactive Logon: Do not require CTRL-ALT-DEL
> 
> ... which in my case was
> 
>      Disabled
> 
> ... meaning (after parsing out the confusing double negative) ...
> 
>      Require CTRL-ALT-DEL
> 
> Setting this to ...
> 
>      Enabled
> 
> ... meaning (after parsing out the confusing double negative) ...
> 
>      Do NOT require CTRL-ALT-DEL
> 
> ... allows the Spotlight icon ...
> 
>      Like what you see?
> 
> ... to appear on the lock screen.
> 
> As Paul suggests, this is, or at least used to be, something of a 
> security issue, as described here ...
> 
> https://www.manageengine.com/vulnerability-management/misconfiguration/logon-security/how-to-enable-secure-login-ctrl-alt-delete-logon-via-group-policy.html
> 
> ... and accordingly I've always previously disabled this policy on my 
> builds, so that <Ctrl-Alt-Delete> is required to log on.  How much of an 
> issue this is still, or whether more recent versions of Windows are more 
> secure against logon window spoofing rendering the policy redundant, I'm 
> no longer sufficiently in the know to be able to comment further.

I never cared for Spotlight.  More glitz and fluff on wasted effort than
Microsoft engaging those resources on bug fixes and truly important
features.  

I have my Win boxes configured to require Ctrl+Alt+Del.  I've never
encountered the Spotlight issue, because, well, I never use it.  I'd
eradicate the glitz crap if there was a way.

To me, sounds like Microsoft decided to add more security if more login
security were employed.  That is, you sure "Like what you see?" would
not reveal something about yourself if you clicked on the icon?  After
all, if you chose to enable Ctrl+Alt+Del then you probably don't want
something on the lockscreen to bypass that security measure.

Disabling the requirement for Ctrl+Alt+Del is a tweak used by those that
don't give a gnat's fart about securing their host, and the same folks
that configure Windows to automatically login, so they don't ever have
to bother with entering their login credentials (and later they forget
what they were since they never use them).

Thread

csiph-web