Maximum password attempts

[geekboy]

Hi,
I want to know if theres any such software available by which we can apply the setting for windows account log-in password in such a way that if the wrong password is entered for say 3 or 5 times, windows will disallow any more attempts and the account will be locked.

I am asking this as I am suspicious of some crook in my office is trying to access my PC. 2 times my password was hacked and that crook didn't do any harm to my PC but used it tremendously and made some minor changes in my normal settings. So I didn't complained about and just changed my password to something very difficult. But I fear he must be trying hard on this. I suspect it must be one of my colleague, friend or some outsider visiting the office during off timings.

So if the account is locked after some attempts, I would just be able to fool that person (whoever it is )

[Lineman]

What do you exactly mean by locking the account. Is it like in mobile phones where if the phone is locked the one needs to go to the service provider and carry out all that hecks to unlock the phone? Then it will be a very tedious process.

[geekboy]

Its not like that. I just mean that that the account is locked means nobody can access it instead of me who knows the correct password. Its logical that if the PC is not allowing that person for any more password attempt, it will not allow me too in the similar way, isn't it? Think in that way...that is what is meant by account lockout. The one you can see in the case of online bank accounts password attempts.

[Yogesh]

There is no need to look out for any third party software and to load your disk space by any extra stuff. Its all there in Windows itself.

Run the following command secpol.msc. Just click Start -> Run -> secpol.msc and then click OK.

A Security Settings window will open. In that the first option 'Account Policies', there will be 2 options - Password policies and Account lockout policies. In Account lockout policies, use the second option 'Account lockout threshold'. In that you can specify the no. of attempts to be used for logging in the Windows after which the account will lockout. Check out the other options and you will understand when to unlock the account.

Go through the Password policies and you can play with the passwords as and when to to control password age, length and complexity and thus enhance the security. Get into and learn

[geekboy]

Wow, great work. Thank you so much Yogesh.
I was never knowing all that is already there in Windows itself.