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I provide temporary computers to businesses but sometimes they are very slow on letting me get them back.
I was wondering if there was any way I could have a computer receive a command as soon as it connects to the internet to lock out the user and prevent them from logging in.
Perhaps some sort of command from a website or webserver or something.
Thank!
JonYork
Posted 2014-07-09T00:36:07.283
Reputation: 153
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One idea would be to tie a program that contacts your authentication server with the default task management daemon on the remote system. Windows has the task manager. Linux has Cron. You could add a daily task to the cron/task list to query your server.
If the system detects that it should lock, you can change the user's account password to a standard password. That will allow you them to unlock the system after they contact you. If a network connection is not possible, it can test it with a ping or traceroute.
This requires that the user does not have admin privileges.
msmith81886
Posted 2014-07-09T00:36:07.283
Reputation: 101
alright, this is along the lines of what I am looking for. Any idea what the code/script/program that I need to run server side? – JonYork – 2014-07-09T03:12:56.927
I am not much of a system administrator. I tend to build solutions out of a quick need, rather than a structured approach. That said, you could setup a simple server on the authentication machine. The remote system connects a socket to the authentication machine. Its sends its id or serial number to the authentication machine. The authentication machine can return a response. The response will then trigger an action on the remote system. This implements a json listener. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6957071/setup-a-tcp-listener-in-php. Json is pretty simple to test.
– msmith81886 – 2014-07-09T03:29:30.760If you have your own Windows domain at your office you could create a standard domain user account on there, set it to expire on the last day of the contract, log in to the machine before it is delivered, give the customer the login details and wait for their call on the last day. You will need minimum Professional to domain join. Inherently, you will need to reconnect to your domain if the contract is extended... You could set up a VPN for your technicians which will let them re-sync with your domain... – Kinnectus – 2014-07-09T07:42:06.073
Please specify the operative system for those computers – Hastur – 2014-07-09T01:29:41.207
Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium, I can switch it to Pro or Ultimate if that changes anything – JonYork – 2014-07-09T02:55:46.077