Joe & Guido, thanks for clearing this up. 
I was helping out someone and came up with the solution described below
and when it worked I was totally sure I was missing something.

I know that the topic is rather controversial and I am sorry for blowing
the whistle, but I just had to know it for sure.

Thanks again,
Guy

On Tue, 2004-03-09 at 08:43, joe wrote:
> I agree with Guido. Its all about physical security. 
> 
> Consider if they fixed that little loophole... What would you do? You
> obviously have done this enough you have worked up a nice little process.
> You have probably described a method that 10% or better of the people on the
> list read and said, no kidding and another 10% said don't say it out loud, I
> don't want that fixed as it saves my butt all of the time. 
> 
> The only realistic fix from MS would be to make it so it isn't possible to
> get into the box even if you have physical access and could do the
> screensaver, at, service, gina, you name it, hack.  
> 
> Its like why don't they take away the whole creator/owner loophole on
> ACLs.... Because the second they do someone is going to start screaming they
> can't get at their stuff when they or someone else screwed up.
> 
> Personally I am all for tough love and security, you screwed up and can't
> get in, rebuild. You screwed up and locked yourself out of a file or
> directory object, tough love. 
> 
> I have DCs all over the world and this is one thing that I don't even start
> to take the time to worry about because I have zero control over how
> physical security will in the end really be handled and zero compensating
> controls I can feasibly put into place to prevent anything bad if someone
> got the idea they wanted to do something bad. 
> 
> 
> 
> -------------
> http://www.joeware.net   (download joeware)
> http://www.cafeshops.com/joewarenet  (wear joeware)
>  
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of GRILLENMEIER,GUIDO
> (HP-Germany,ex1)
> Sent: Friday, February 27, 2004 3:33 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] Local Admin to Domain Admin escalation
> 
> no need to install a new service at all => scheduling an "at" command in
> DSRM mode to execute the right script is sufficient, as the task scheduler
> is configured to run as Local System.
> 
> And even though I agree that it would be nice to see new services being
> pre-configured to be run with the Local Service account an admin can change
> it to run as local system anyways.  Also, how is Windows supposed to know,
> if the service doesn't require network access and should thus use the
> Network Service instead...
> 
> In summary: the default install account of a service should be the least of
> your worries. Better to concentrate on physically securing the DC.
> 
> 
> /Guido
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Guy Teverovsky
> Sent: Freitag, 27. Februar 2004 17:56
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: [ActiveDir] Local Admin to Domain Admin escalation
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Recently I have been playing around with an idea of how do you deal with a
> situation when you must have a Domain Admin access to AD but do not have
> Domain Admin password (this can happen in small outsourced companies or when
> the only Domain Admin is suddenly unavailable).
> 
> 
> In W2K this was easy. You use one of those tools that reset the
> Administrator's password in local SAM, boot in DS Restore Mode, copy cmd.exe
> over logon.scr, reboot, wait and get a shell running in Local System
> context. As this is a DC and LSA has enough privileges to reset Domain Admin
> password, you are all set.
> 
> In W2K3 this behavior has been changed. The screensaver runs in Local
> Service account context and has no access to AD. This sounds nice and dandy,
> BUT if I boot into DS Restore Mode, install a service (using resource kit
> utilities) that will spawn a shell, which will run a script, which will
> reset Domain Admin password, I still get access to the AD (tested
> successfully at home).
> 
> The problem I see here is the fact that in DS Restore Mode (actually it does
> not really matter in which mode), when you install a new service, it will
> run by default in LSA context.
> 
> I know that you will all say: "physical access = Domain Admin" and will be
> right, but what bothers me more is the fact that local account has a way to
> escalate it's rights by taking advantage of the fact that new services
> default to run under Local System account.
> 
> Your thoughts ?
> 
> Guy
> 
> --
> Smith & Wesson - the original point and click interface
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