One
of the biggest problems a network administrator faces is security. Thousands
of dollars and hundreds of hours can be spent on protecting networks from attacks
only to have users leave their computers logged in while they are away from
their desks for extended periods of time or even overnight. Leaving unattended
workstations logged in poses a major security risk for many organizations. Unattended
workstations are the easiest method for hackers to assault a network.
Microsoft’s
WinExit Screen Saver (winexit.scr) addressed this problem. However, in order
for non-administrative users to be able to use WinExit, you must add Set Value
and Create Sub key permissions for the group "Everyone" on the registry key:
“HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion”. Since this
is a headache for a network administrator and another potential security breach,
the Logoff Screen Saver was written. The Logoff Screen Saver is a replacement
for Microsoft’s WinExit Screen Saver. The Logoff Screen Saver uses a centrally
located INI file for its configuration so altering the registry is no longer
required.
The Logoff Screen Saver uses the settings for the screen saver timeout to determine how long the computer has been idle. It reads the registry entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Control Panel\Desktop\ ScreenSaveTimeOut. This registry entry can be configured using group policies, please see the Client-Server Installation section for more details.
The Logoff Screensaver can also be set to only function during certain times of the day. This feature is very useful in office environments.
The Logoff Screen Saver works with Windows 98 Se, Windows Me, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP Professional.