Change a password screen script

Question

I am currently trying to make a script that calls the "Change a password" screen without hitting Ctrl+Alt+Delete/End. The problem is we have people in the field using all different keyboard layouts and the "End" isn't always in the most user friendly spot. So I want to cut out the middle man and just let our end users run a script that will bring up the screen and let them change the password.

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 20 '19 at 20:06

I found this on a Technet thread: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/2b67fa96-707b-47c4-90f5-c3a087ba16a9/how-do-i-change-password-when-connected-to-remote-desktop?forum=winserver8gen

Did a quick test by creating a Change-Password.vbs script with this on it:

    Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
    objShell.WindowsSecurity()

I ran the above vbScript on a terminal server session and it brought up the Ctrl-Alt-Del screen. You then have to click Change a password to get to that screen.

P.S. As stated in the Technet thread, this will only work on a terminal server (or Citrix) session. — SuperDogStar, Jun 20 '19 at 20:06

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 20 '19 at 21:35

There is a non-trivial security problem posed by your solution. The reason that CTL-ALT-DEL is pressed in the first place is that it is NOT catchable by a program and thus you are assured that you are typing to the Operating System (windows) and not some yo-ho program that is pretending to change passwords and actually collecting them.

So again be cautious in this approach.

Change a password screen script

2 Answers2