WINDOWS REGISTRY

The Windows Registry Editor is the tool that enables you to make changes to your system registry, which stores information about how the hardware and software on your computer runs. Generally, you will not and should not edit your system registry unless it is absolutely necessary. Most changes are made to the registry without your knowing they are happening. For example, installing a new application or adding a new printer to your system will update the registry. If there is an error in your registry, your computer may become unstable or nonfunctional. With a good backup, you can restore the registry to its state before any changes were made.

To access the system registry, click Start > Run, type Regedit and press the Enter key. This will open the Registry Editor.

Inside the Registry Editor – There are 5 Keys on the left side of the screen

Hkey_Classes_Root - This key displays information about OLE and associated mappings to support drag-and-drop operations.

Hkey_Current_User - This points to a branch of Hkey_Users for the currently logged on user.

Hkey_Local_Machine - This contains computer specific information including installed hardware and software. This is the one I tend to spend the most time in.

Hkey_Users - This contains information about users that have logged on to the computer

Hkey_Current_Config - This key points to a branch of Hkey_Local_Machine \ Config and has information such as display fonts and printers.

TIPS- All these tricks listed below are for Windows 95 many of them work with XP also, but make sure of one thing….before changing, deleting or creating any value…or to be on a safer side before TOUCHING the registry make sure that you have taken a back up (Go to File > Export for back up) of the registry. One wrong step can crash your system.

CAUTION: The backup that will be created will be a .REG file and is executable. Therefore double-clicking it will replace your current registry with the registry contained in the .REG file. This can be extremely dangerous. Be certain this is what you really want to do.

- Changing the Location of Special Folders

You can modify the registry to change the location of special folders like:

• My Documents
• Favorites
• My Pictures
• Personal

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
3. Double click on any locations you want to change and alter the path
4. Logoff or restart for the changes to go into effect

Eliminating the Right Click on the Taskbar

To eliminate the right click on the taskbar:

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
3. Add a DWORD and give it a name of NoTrayContextMenu
4. Give it a value of 1
5. Reboot

Eliminating the Right Click on the Desktop

To eliminate the right click on the desktop:

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
3. Add a DWORD and give it a name of NoViewContextMenu
4. Give it a value of 1
5. Reboot

These are only three tricks…..there are many more available on net…..the idea here is not to teach you how to disable right click or how to change the color, fonts, looks, etc…..The basic reason why we post this chapter is to teach that if registry is the place where all the information is stored then why cant we brake passwords from here???

E.g. I install a software on my system to guard some folders which contain material which I want to hide. In order to access the folder I have to input a password, and if it is right only then I can see the content of the folder.

From this example it is clear that the password is stored somewhere in the system from where the software compares the value which I enter in the password field.

For this example as well as for every other software which asks for password to access the system features including the windows login password, all these values are stored in windows registry. Whenever the user enters a password, it is compared with the value stored in the system registry, and if it is found correct only then the user is allowed to access the feature.

In Windows registry we can search for specific items, keys, values or software’s using the search function in edit menu. But there is one problem the password is not stored in its original form, it is converted to some other format so that no one can recognize it. E.g.; If I set the password as “hacking” it is stored as “6167453291” or may be some other form depending upon the software.

In such cases what we can do is reset the password i.e. delete the value (whatever it is). Once the value is deleted there is no password and our purpose is solved.
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HACKING LESSON ||| What are Trojans?

THE TROJAN “HORSE”

Trojan’s are the most dangerous of all types of attacks.

What are Trojans?

Trojans are small programs through which the hacker gain control over your system. Although, most of the Trojans are detected by anti virus programs but the frequency with which these programs are written is far more than the anti virus updating system.

Some common features with Trojans are as follows:

• Capturing screenshots of your computer.

• Recording key strokes and sending files to the hacker

• Giving full Access to all your drives and files.

• Ability to use your computer to do other hacking related activities.

Every Trojan has two parts a Client and a Server. In order to gain access, the server file must be installed in the target computer.

How this is done?

Initially this was done using a simple email. The hacker will send you an email with some sort of attachment (the Server File). The matter of that mail will make you open that attachment, when you double click on it you will see nothing but in the background the server file gets installed on your system.

Now, all the hacker has to do is just use the client file to connect to your system.

But this method became so popular that the hacker has to search for some other technique to achieve the above objective.

How many of you have played small computer games such as “shooting bird”, “catching butterflies”, “slapping some face”, etc

Now, in this technique the hacker joins two exe files into a single file i.e. the server file + the game file.

In this case when you open the attachment you will see the game but at the same time the server also gets installed on your system.

This is just one way; there are many other ways to achieve this objective. So always be careful whenever you are opening an unknown attachment, or while visiting unsafe websites, while chatting, etc.

A very famous Trojan Example is NETBUS; the details are posted in “http://gcscomputertricks.blogspot.com/” section.

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Hack Your BIOS

BIOS is an acronym for Basic Input Output System.BIOS refers to the firmware code run on PC when first powered on. The primary function of the BIOS is to prepare the machine so other software programs stored on various media (such as hard drives, floppies, and CDs) can load, execute, and assume control of the PC. This process is known as booting up.

BIOS can also said to be a coded program embedded on a chip that recognizes and controls various devices that make up the PC.

To enter the BIOS program, hit the "Delete" key before your computer boots up.If successful,you will be taken to a menu which would be similar to as one given below.

Sometimes ,in order to prevent unauthorised access,the BIOS menu is password protected.(See the righthand side column in the above photo)When a password is set,the BIOS settings can only be accessed by authorised access.

But what if you lose this password and want to change some BIOS settings?No need to worry,this password can easily be hacked.

All BIOS settings are stored in the memory even after the computer is switched off.This is done by a small battery which is placed on your motherboard.
Since the BIOS password is a part of BIOS setting,it is stored in memory by this battery.

To hack the BIOS password-->

1.Switch off your PC.
2.Open your computer cabinet.
3.Locate the battery on motherboard and carefully remove it.(ALL BIOS SETTINGS ARE LOST)
4.Re-insert the battery.(ALL BIOS settings are reset)
5.Switch on the PC.

When you try to access the BIOS menu,you won't be prompted for a password.
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Join COMPUTER TRICKS ON GCS Posted by PRAMOD GEHLOT -

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