Title: Microsoft Windows XP Fast User Switching Account Lockout Vulnerability
Severity: INFO
Description:
Microsoft Windows XP offers a fast user switching feature that lets users quickly change accounts without logging off and logging on again. This service, in conjuction with the account lockout feature, can be used to lock all unprivileged users out of their accounts, without knowledge of other user account names. On machines with fast user switching and an account lockout threshold set (for invalid login attempts) a single user can use the fast switching feature to cycle to the same user account (i.e., fast switch to self) multiple times, resulting in a lockout of all users other than administrator.
Note that for fast user switching to be enabled, the affected computer must not be logged onto a domain; only workgroups or unconnected machines are at risk. Also, the "Welcome Screen" logon method must be enabled in order to enable fast user switching.
Affected Products:
- Microsoft Windows XP Home
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
References:
- Tomasz Polus <tomasz_polus@bsi.net.pl>: Windows XP security concerns
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