Why does Windows require CTRL+ALT+DEL to Logon?
Has Microsoft ever offered an explanation for why they require CTRL+ALT+DEL to login? (Yes I know you can disable it, but it is still their preferred method.) It seems like at one point I heard that it was for security since you knew nothing else could trap CTRL+ALT+DEL, but I've written programs that trap CTRL+ALT+DEL, and it isn't that difficult, so I am pretty sure that was just a myth, either that or the decision to require CTRL+ALT+DEL is based on a fallacy.
Either way, I am curious if there is an official reason, and if that reason has any actual merit.
Thanks!
windows keyboard login ctrl-alt-delete
edited Oct 18 '13 at 7:41
Thomas
2771412
asked Oct 28 '09 at 2:01
Jim McKeethJim McKeeth
3,81283861
add a comment |
Has Microsoft ever offered an explanation for why they require CTRL+ALT+DEL to login? (Yes I know you can disable it, but it is still their preferred method.) It seems like at one point I heard that it was for security since you knew nothing else could trap CTRL+ALT+DEL, but I've written programs that trap CTRL+ALT+DEL, and it isn't that difficult, so I am pretty sure that was just a myth, either that or the decision to require CTRL+ALT+DEL is based on a fallacy.
Either way, I am curious if there is an official reason, and if that reason has any actual merit.
Thanks!
windows keyboard login ctrl-alt-delete
edited Oct 18 '13 at 7:41
Thomas
2771412
asked Oct 28 '09 at 2:01
Jim McKeethJim McKeeth
3,81283861
This is a well known key sequence by every Windows users
– Kami
Nov 19 '09 at 9:39
2
Before that, it was a well known key sequence for every MS-DOS user
– Kevin Panko
Dec 17 '09 at 0:28
2
How can you trap the ctrl+alt+del key? Even remote desktop or virtual machine softwares cannot do that and must implement an alternative for this
– phuclv
Oct 22 '13 at 9:19
This question was re-asked as What makes Secure Login (CTRL+ALT+DEL) Secure?, where it got pretty much the same answer.
– G-Man
Apr 30 '15 at 21:27
add a comment |
Has Microsoft ever offered an explanation for why they require CTRL+ALT+DEL to login? (Yes I know you can disable it, but it is still their preferred method.) It seems like at one point I heard that it was for security since you knew nothing else could trap CTRL+ALT+DEL, but I've written programs that trap CTRL+ALT+DEL, and it isn't that difficult, so I am pretty sure that was just a myth, either that or the decision to require CTRL+ALT+DEL is based on a fallacy.
Either way, I am curious if there is an official reason, and if that reason has any actual merit.
Thanks!
windows keyboard login ctrl-alt-delete
edited Oct 18 '13 at 7:41
Thomas
2771412
asked Oct 28 '09 at 2:01
Jim McKeethJim McKeeth
3,81283861
Has Microsoft ever offered an explanation for why they require CTRL+ALT+DEL to login? (Yes I know you can disable it, but it is still their preferred method.) It seems like at one point I heard that it was for security since you knew nothing else could trap CTRL+ALT+DEL, but I've written programs that trap CTRL+ALT+DEL, and it isn't that difficult, so I am pretty sure that was just a myth, either that or the decision to require CTRL+ALT+DEL is based on a fallacy.
Either way, I am curious if there is an official reason, and if that reason has any actual merit.
Thanks!
windows keyboard login ctrl-alt-delete
windows keyboard login ctrl-alt-delete
edited Oct 18 '13 at 7:41
Thomas
2771412
asked Oct 28 '09 at 2:01
Jim McKeethJim McKeeth
3,81283861
edited Oct 18 '13 at 7:41
Thomas
2771412
asked Oct 28 '09 at 2:01
Jim McKeethJim McKeeth
3,81283861
edited Oct 18 '13 at 7:41
Thomas
2771412
edited Oct 18 '13 at 7:41
Thomas
2771412
edited Oct 18 '13 at 7:41
Thomas
2771412
2771412
asked Oct 28 '09 at 2:01
Jim McKeethJim McKeeth
3,81283861
asked Oct 28 '09 at 2:01
Jim McKeethJim McKeeth
3,81283861
asked Oct 28 '09 at 2:01
Jim McKeethJim McKeeth
3,81283861
3,81283861
This is a well known key sequence by every Windows users
– Kami
Nov 19 '09 at 9:39
2
Before that, it was a well known key sequence for every MS-DOS user
– Kevin Panko
Dec 17 '09 at 0:28
2
How can you trap the ctrl+alt+del key? Even remote desktop or virtual machine softwares cannot do that and must implement an alternative for this
– phuclv
Oct 22 '13 at 9:19
This question was re-asked as What makes Secure Login (CTRL+ALT+DEL) Secure?, where it got pretty much the same answer.
– G-Man
Apr 30 '15 at 21:27
add a comment |
This is a well known key sequence by every Windows users
– Kami
Nov 19 '09 at 9:39
2
Before that, it was a well known key sequence for every MS-DOS user
– Kevin Panko
Dec 17 '09 at 0:28
2
How can you trap the ctrl+alt+del key? Even remote desktop or virtual machine softwares cannot do that and must implement an alternative for this
– phuclv
Oct 22 '13 at 9:19
This question was re-asked as What makes Secure Login (CTRL+ALT+DEL) Secure?, where it got pretty much the same answer.
– G-Man
Apr 30 '15 at 21:27
This is a well known key sequence by every Windows users
– Kami
Nov 19 '09 at 9:39
This is a well known key sequence by every Windows users
– Kami
Nov 19 '09 at 9:39
2
2
Before that, it was a well known key sequence for every MS-DOS user
– Kevin Panko
Dec 17 '09 at 0:28
Before that, it was a well known key sequence for every MS-DOS user
– Kevin Panko
Dec 17 '09 at 0:28
2
2
How can you trap the ctrl+alt+del key? Even remote desktop or virtual machine softwares cannot do that and must implement an alternative for this
– phuclv
Oct 22 '13 at 9:19
How can you trap the ctrl+alt+del key? Even remote desktop or virtual machine softwares cannot do that and must implement an alternative for this
– phuclv
Oct 22 '13 at 9:19
This question was re-asked as What makes Secure Login (CTRL+ALT+DEL) Secure?, where it got pretty much the same answer.
– G-Man
Apr 30 '15 at 21:27
This question was re-asked as What makes Secure Login (CTRL+ALT+DEL) Secure?, where it got pretty much the same answer.
– G-Man
Apr 30 '15 at 21:27
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
This is the same as this Server Fault question: How does CTRL-ALT-DEL to log in make Windows more secure?.
Here is the accepted answer from there, by Oskar Duveborn:
The Windows (NT) kernel is designed to reserve the notification of
this key combination to a single process: Winlogon. So, as long as the
Windows installation itself is working as it should - no third party
application can respond to this key combination (if it could, it could
present a fake logon window and keylog your password ;)
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:14
Community♦
1
answered Oct 28 '09 at 2:03
Stephen JenningsStephen Jennings
20.1k46199
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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votes
This is the same as this Server Fault question: How does CTRL-ALT-DEL to log in make Windows more secure?.
Here is the accepted answer from there, by Oskar Duveborn:
The Windows (NT) kernel is designed to reserve the notification of
this key combination to a single process: Winlogon. So, as long as the
Windows installation itself is working as it should - no third party
application can respond to this key combination (if it could, it could
present a fake logon window and keylog your password ;)
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:14
Community♦
1
answered Oct 28 '09 at 2:03
Stephen JenningsStephen Jennings
20.1k46199
add a comment |
This is the same as this Server Fault question: How does CTRL-ALT-DEL to log in make Windows more secure?.
Here is the accepted answer from there, by Oskar Duveborn:
The Windows (NT) kernel is designed to reserve the notification of
this key combination to a single process: Winlogon. So, as long as the
Windows installation itself is working as it should - no third party
application can respond to this key combination (if it could, it could
present a fake logon window and keylog your password ;)
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:14
Community♦
1
answered Oct 28 '09 at 2:03
Stephen JenningsStephen Jennings
20.1k46199
add a comment |
This is the same as this Server Fault question: How does CTRL-ALT-DEL to log in make Windows more secure?.
Here is the accepted answer from there, by Oskar Duveborn:
The Windows (NT) kernel is designed to reserve the notification of
this key combination to a single process: Winlogon. So, as long as the
Windows installation itself is working as it should - no third party
application can respond to this key combination (if it could, it could
present a fake logon window and keylog your password ;)
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:14
Community♦
1
answered Oct 28 '09 at 2:03
Stephen JenningsStephen Jennings
20.1k46199
This is the same as this Server Fault question: How does CTRL-ALT-DEL to log in make Windows more secure?.
Here is the accepted answer from there, by Oskar Duveborn:
The Windows (NT) kernel is designed to reserve the notification of
this key combination to a single process: Winlogon. So, as long as the
Windows installation itself is working as it should - no third party
application can respond to this key combination (if it could, it could
present a fake logon window and keylog your password ;)
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:14
Community♦
1
answered Oct 28 '09 at 2:03
Stephen JenningsStephen Jennings
20.1k46199
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:14
Community♦
1
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:14
Community♦
1
edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:14
Community♦
1
1
answered Oct 28 '09 at 2:03
Stephen JenningsStephen Jennings
20.1k46199
answered Oct 28 '09 at 2:03
Stephen JenningsStephen Jennings
20.1k46199
answered Oct 28 '09 at 2:03
Stephen JenningsStephen Jennings
20.1k46199
20.1k46199
add a comment |
add a comment |
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This is a well known key sequence by every Windows users
– Kami
Nov 19 '09 at 9:39
2
Before that, it was a well known key sequence for every MS-DOS user
– Kevin Panko
Dec 17 '09 at 0:28
2
How can you trap the ctrl+alt+del key? Even remote desktop or virtual machine softwares cannot do that and must implement an alternative for this
– phuclv
Oct 22 '13 at 9:19
This question was re-asked as What makes Secure Login (CTRL+ALT+DEL) Secure?, where it got pretty much the same answer.
– G-Man
Apr 30 '15 at 21:27