Hacking into the system

[Martijn]

Hello you hackers!

How can I hack this:

A computer on which Windows NT is installed. It's connected to many other computers. Everything is restricted. I can only get acces to ms word, exel, etc..
In MS Word, you can open an exe file. Than you see strange symbols. But then it's in the 'recently opened' directory in the start menu and so I can start it.
But I want to change the desktop background for ever. Even when I login on another computer of the same network. There is a way to overwrite the exising background by an new one which you like! But how...
I can't write to c:\ because it is restricted!
Is there a program or so to change the background? To get access to the c:\ so I can also write and delete there?

If you can help: thank you!

[Metgod]

*coughs*

What is it with all these stupid/lame questions lately ?
Seriously, this is starting to _really_ annoy me.

This is nothing but stupidity here. At best, it is pure vandalism. I don't really care how silly it may seem. What's the point of 'hacking' (yeah, right) into a windows network to change the background on the desktop anyway ? And who has such a boring life that that amuses them ?

Does this remind anyone else of the *ugh* Happy Hackers Guide to Harmless (bull shit!) hacking ? Sure does me..  I mean.. that was her goal.. teaching her victims to change simple things in windows..

Here's some advice, kid :

RTFM and EXPERIMENT. And above all.. be _ETHICAL_ ...

As to your notion of thanking anyone who can help you (but not others) : You are VERY welcome. I'm always glad to be of assistance to others in need.

Cheers,
Metgod

[Martijn]

it is not stupid...

the administrators are stupid! they have changed my (and all other's) backgrounds into a very stupid background!

If anyone knows how to do... everything is restricted!!!

[Tazinator]

Well Martijn,

It sounds like either your machine or your profile is being restricted by a system policy. Im certain this is probably due to either your machine being a part of a domain where this policy resides, or one of the Admins has set it up locally. Basically the only way to get around that would be to gain Administrative rights to the local machine. Once you had those, you could set the policy in your own way if it were local, but if the policy is being set from the domain controller...

(NT4) \\domaincontroller\NETLOGON\ntconfig.pol

...you will need to tell the local machine to not update the policy from the domain controller automatically. Otherwise, after you reset everything to how you want it, the next time you go to logon with your domain account, it will be back to the way it was. You can tell the computer to update manually by setting a local system policy and specifying the System Policies Update function to "Manual" for your machine.

A word of caution would be that however you gain access to the machine as an Administrator, and then make these adjustments, if you have a competent Systems Admin, you may get caught. All these changes show up in the event log somewhere if logging is turned on, and clearing the log is logged as well, not to mention, 60% of the times I caught users on my network doing things they werent supposed to was because I was standing nearby when they did it, noticed it when I walked by, or when I had to fix thier machine for something. Some companies make things like what you want to do grounds for employment termination, so I would check and think on that before you start this adventure.

In fairness to the Admins and the company, they are setting up the machines for you to do your job and nothing more. More then likely because leaving the system as-is caused to many employee hours spent "screwing off". Basically trying to maximize employee efficiency, something which I do as well on my network, but im a little more lienient as far as allowing users to set desktop backgrounds, color schemes, etc. Personally I think leaving room for creativity and personalization of the workstation makes the users more comfortable with the machine and more likely to use it, thus strengthening the need for me to have a job. To be there when it blows up on its own or user initiation.

[Metgod]

stupid people... stupid backgrounds...

hehehe.. seriously, all sarcasm and joking aside (of which I could say more but I will not), I just don't see the point of having the background changed, at least for everyone. I agree though, that it's not fun, but still ...

I guess my point is (or was) you have to just take things as it is. Maybe, depending on what they did, is to have a program open all the time and not look at the background :)

I don't know.. It's not really up to me.. Maybe if I had more info on what really is going on I wouldn't have jumped into my sarcasm/joking earlier on...

I think that we have too many people these days trying to pull some stupid prank.. and maybe that's not what you were after. hell, I did some things I probably should not have way back when .... and I still can't help but laugh over them. And I still am not sorry for what I did.. So, yeah, if you are in the position you really said, then I guess I understand your frusration. But I wouldn't try to circumvent others settings without caution.

Well, good luck I guess.. just be careful is all

Cheers,
Metty

[Cobra]

Im afraid i agree with Martijn and Taz. Being able to customize the look n' feel of a system makes it a lot more enjoyable to use. Everyone has there own ideas of what is comfortable on the eye, and to remove that from a persons options is not going to engourage anyone to do anything.

As far as hacking the system goes, is there really any need? As Taz has said, It will all be logged once logging on the system is enabled. And for you to get a black mark or fired just because you wanted to block a policy to allow you to change your background. Would be a bit crazy.

If that is "really" what you want to do, you will probably have more luck fighting your case with the Systems Administrator.

[Metgod]

*thinks*

Yes, I was rather unclear about that bit of changing the background and not seeing the point.

I totally agree about wanting to have 'your' system look the way you want it. No questions asked, I would hate to have a system I can't change to my liking. (Quotes around your, btw, because the sys ad probably doesn't like the idea of it being yours, so while you use it it is in a way yours.. but then you don't 'own' it physically.)

That aside, I have to say I also agree with the other bit.. hacking (or whatever word anyone chooses to use) it for that purpose is kind of if-fy.

I think that restrictions on systems have different justifications and some of those justifications are just stupid as well. And maybe the blocking backgrounds is a rather stupid restriction (I think it is, within reason of course). It also depends on teh environment, and I don't know what it is.

I mean, I am highly annoyed by some companies that don't even allow the employees to use the email for anything other than work. Or for those that think the employees are responsibile for email they receive. That is what is really stupid. How can someone be responsible for the spam they receive ? Quite often, the person is not (i.e., they did not give out their email and somene just grabbed it anyway).

Either way ... I understand your position, Martijn. I would _hate_ to not have my system be my system. But it is what it is sometimes (even if that's frustrating). And I am one to loudly express my disastifaction of something (which is often a mistake on my part ...). So maybe I was being rather closed minded there. I also didn't know teh situation in full, so maybe that was rather, ehm, I can't think of a word.. empty ? But sometimes you just can't have your own way -- stupid or not. Too often it's stupid though.

Oh and btw, apologies for the initial sarcasm. I just couldn't help myself I guess (why I do not know). It was probably quite rude but bottom line : Sometimes you can't have your own way even when you should. And lastly, I am not exactly well right now and while not an excuse, the truth is, it is the truth. I would like to say that it's an interesting little thread and I'm very pleased that Martijn was still rather cool even with my initial response.

Cheers again,
Metty

[Martijn]

Indeed, we have a domain controller who sets it. But everything can be hacked! How can I do that.
You can read:
"You can tell the computer to update manually by setting a local system policy and specifying the System Policies Update function to "Manual" for your machine."
How?

[Martijn]

and will it be the old when I delete the current background? It think no.

[Tazinator]

You can tell the computer to update manually by setting a local system policy and specifying the System Policies Update function to "Manual" for your machine.

Read what I wrote again. Your going to need to get familiarity with NT and system policies before making attempts at this if you plan to. This isnt a "Hacking for Dummies" board. We dont provide step by step plans for things of this nature. Its more about pointing you in the right direction to solving the issue you brought up.

While its true that you can "hack" just about everything involving technology in some way shape or form, an attitude like the one your giving off with your postings is going to start making people less likely to offer advice and land your ass jobless on the street.

As Cobra said, it may be more effective and safer for you to appeal your case to the SysAdmin or your supervisor.

[Martijn]

From another forum, I got this:

1. Make a Windows boot disk from another computer.

2. Odds are, the laptop is formatted with NTFS, so grab NTFS for DOS (http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdospro.shtml) and add it to the boot disk.

3. Boot laptop from disk (if it doesn't boot off the floppy, check the BIOS to make sure it's set right). When you get to the command prompt, cd to: c:\winnt\system32\config and copy sam a:\

4. Download and install l0pht/LC4 (http://www.atstake.com/products/lc/download.html) on another computer.

5. Take the boot disk to the computer with LC4. Copy the 'sam' file to the hard disk.

6. Run LC4, open 'sam', let it crack the password for adminitrator -- may take an hour or two... maybe even longer.

7. Log on to laptop using the local administrator account and the cracked password you get from LC4.

But the computer doesn't do anything when I put the disks in it.
Everything is limited on that computer and it hasn't the 'normal' startup-procedure. There is not shown: press del (or f1 or so) to enter setup. And when I can enter it, it has a password.

I can login to (a limited) windows nt workstation with my own username and password. I can open Word and in Word I can open files and copy files. If I open a file, it's stored in 'recently opened' (or so, they don't have the English version) in the start menu. Then I can run a file.
When I try to copy the sam file in Word, a message is shown 'this file is in use'.
So... what can I do? Isn't there a program or so which can do something? I can open files as you could read...

I really don't know what to do now...

[Cobra]

Wouldnt it be hilarious if there was a password limit on the BIOS .. so if he typed in the password wrong 3 or 4 times it totally locks the bios out ..  It has happened to me... It would be soooo funny to see him explain that to the admin.. haha

Oh man im so fucking stoned! .. I need sleep..

Ahh that would be funny!

[Martijn]

haha!!!

I tried the standard passwords and the second worked! Cool man!

But now I first have to talk with a teacher, not for hacking (that's something they don't know about), but for playing games many times while I had to learn...

[Martijn]

Everything works, the boot disk is correct, but... where can I get NTFS for windows NT? With read AND write access in Dos?

[wilnix]

Martijn -

I just read through this post with the first thought of:

"There is such an easier way to do this..."

How about you go to the local used bookstore and loook for materials on bypassing nt policies? Probably the first thing you'll find is a tool called NTFSDOS....

Boot into a floppy with ntfsdos and do what you need to, thinking of the restrictions in place.

Good lucck, you'll need it. You aren't familiar enough with the OS to begin "hacking" anything.

Wilnix