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#36357 - 2003-02-12 12:31 AM Question on scripting passfilt for 2000
New Mexico Mark Offline
Hey THIS is FUN
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Registered: 2002-01-03
Posts: 223
Loc: Columbia, SC
We have about 400 NT and 2K (NOT AD) servers. These are mostly stand-alone IIS servers for various business customers.

We are getting ready to roll out passflt.dll to all servers, and I'm looking for an easy way to script this.

NT is a breeze. Just copy the passflt.dll file to the system32 folder and change or create the key: \HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\Notification Packages=PASSFILT (REG_MULTI_SZ)

For 2K, first of all, M$ assumes that EVERYONE in the world is running AD (naturally) in their very instructions for activating. Second, they assume that NO ONE would possibly want to script such a solution.

My starting point are the following MS articles:
225230 and 161990

Can anyone suggest a way to activate complex passwords on 2K servers with either a reg edit or via a com object?

Thanks!

NMM

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#36358 - 2003-02-12 12:49 AM Re: Question on scripting passfilt for 2000
MightyR1 Offline
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Registered: 1999-09-09
Posts: 1264
Loc: The Netherlands
NMM,

Tried digging into security templates???
_________________________
Greetz,
Patrick Rutten

- We'll either find a way or make one...
- Knowledge is power; knowing how to find it is more powerful...
- Problems don't exist; they are challenges...

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#36359 - 2003-02-12 01:04 AM Re: Question on scripting passfilt for 2000
Howard Bullock Offline
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Registered: 2000-09-15
Posts: 5809
Loc: Harrisburg, PA USA
You only need to install passfilt.dll on the domain PDC where the accounts live, unless you are saying that you have local accounts on every server.
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Home page: http://www.kixhelp.com/hb/

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#36360 - 2003-02-13 12:44 AM Re: Question on scripting passfilt for 2000
New Mexico Mark Offline
Hey THIS is FUN
****

Registered: 2002-01-03
Posts: 223
Loc: Columbia, SC
Hi MightyR1: I'll look into security templates, but it sounds like using a sledgehammer to swat a fly.

Howard: Unfortunately, since almost all the servers are stand-alone and not domain members, we have to deal with local accounts. These include administrator accounts, developer accounts, third-party business accounts, and sometimes even customer accounts.

Of course, we have a written password policy in place in the company, but limited legal means to enforce that policy to non-company employees. Again, it is the problem that 10 percent of the users generate 90 percent of our headaches.

Any other ideas while I'm looking at security templates?

Thanks,

Mark

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#36361 - 2003-02-12 01:12 PM Re: Question on scripting passfilt for 2000
New Mexico Mark Offline
Hey THIS is FUN
****

Registered: 2002-01-03
Posts: 223
Loc: Columbia, SC
I refreshed my memory on security templates at the Microsoft site. This *might* work on the security level, but then I'm still left with the problem of how to script implementing the template. I need to create an extremely reliable and extremely simple solution for this to work. (I.e., pop a diskette in each system and type a:\passfilt)

Part of what makes things so difficult in our environment is that (with the exception of our internal domain for users), these 400 systems are all isolated into about 35 groups with different local admin passwords, and even network isolation. The reason is because we are business partners with a lot of different companies, and we have contractual agreements to ensure their information and software is isolated from all other groups.

So our situation is the opposite of most networks, where servers may be physically located in different areas, but tied together in a single domain and/or Active Directory structure. Instead, this is like having to provide a simple solution to 35 different companies. And keep in mind that these companies are all running various home grown and third party apps on their systems. If we break their apps, we lose business. So every change must be tested extensively. This pretty much rules out a blanket security template approach.

Back to the original question... any ideas how I can activate password complexity requirements on stand-alone Windows 2000 servers via a script?

Thanks,

NMM

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#36362 - 2003-02-12 10:07 PM Re: Question on scripting passfilt for 2000
MightyR1 Offline
MM club member
*****

Registered: 1999-09-09
Posts: 1264
Loc: The Netherlands
NMM,

Do you have snapshot utilities (Wise Installer for example) available?

If so, Try this:
  • make a prescan,
  • use security templates to set strong passwords,
  • make a postscan
  • note the changes
  • write a script that makes these changes
  • run it on another W2000 machine
  • reboot
  • use sec templ to verify the settings...
_________________________
Greetz,
Patrick Rutten

- We'll either find a way or make one...
- Knowledge is power; knowing how to find it is more powerful...
- Problems don't exist; they are challenges...

Top
#36363 - 2003-02-13 02:24 PM Re: Question on scripting passfilt for 2000
New Mexico Mark Offline
Hey THIS is FUN
****

Registered: 2002-01-03
Posts: 223
Loc: Columbia, SC
I'll give it a shot. Thanks.
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