DOCUMENT:Q182918 TITLE :Account Lockout Event also Stored in Security Event Log on DC PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:4.00 OPER/SYS:WINDOWS KEYWORDS:kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 kbfile ntsecurity -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 - Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server version 4.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When users enter a series of incorrect passwords in an attempt to log on to Windows NT using domain accounts and the Bad Logon Attempts limit for the account is reached, the account is locked out at the domain controller. Windows NT generates an account lockout event (Event ID: 539) on the workstation where the failed logon attempts occurred if the audit policy on that workstation enables auditing of failed logon/logoff events. However, no event is logged at the domain controller. Administrators must search the event logs of all client systems to locate the computer where the bad password attempts originated. MORE INFORMATION ================ Microsoft provides a hotfix to change this behavior. After the hotfix is applied on all domain controllers, bad logon attempts that cause a user's account to be locked out generate an audit event in the security event log on the domain controller that handles the logon request. A new security event (Event ID: 644 - User Account Locked Out) is generated at the primary domain controller to indicate the user account was automatically locked out because of bad logon attempts. The security event is generated if the audit policy for the domain enables Success for the User and Group Management audit category. If the client workstation is a computer running Windows NT or Windows 95, the account lockout event includes the client workstation name to identify the computer where the bad passwords are entered. RESOLUTION ========== To enable this feature, contact Microsoft Technical Support to obtain the following fix, or wait for the next Windows NT service pack. NOTE: Because this hotfix makes a modification to the on-disk storage of the LSA data information, Microsoft does not recommend that it be uninstalled. This fix should have the following time stamp: 04/22/98 06:05p 51,472 Eventlog.dll (Intel) 04/27/98 12:48p 154,896 Lsasrv.dll (Intel) 04/25/98 07:45p 18,704 Msaudite.dll (Intel) 05/08/98 07:42p 40,208 Msv1_0.dll (Intel) 05/08/98 07:42p 41,744 Samlib.dll (Intel) 05/08/98 07:42p 169,232 Samsrv.dll (Intel) 04/27/98 12:48p 130,832 Services.exe (Intel) 02/04/98 02:20p 84,240 Eventlog.dll (Alpha) 04/15/98 12:37p 253,200 Lsasrv.dll (Alpha) 04/02/98 06:24p 22,800 Msaudite.dll (Alpha) 05/08/98 07:42p 67,344 Msv1_0.dll (Alpha) 05/08/98 07:42p 78,608 Samlib.dll (Alpha) 05/08/98 07:42p 288,528 Samsrv.dll (Alpha) 04/24/98 05:55p 241,936 Services.exe (Alpha) NOTE: This hotfix supersedes the fix referred to in the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: ARTICLE-ID: Q154087 TITLE : Access Violation in LSASS.EXE Due to Incorrect Buffer Size ARTICLE-ID: Q174205 TITLE : LSASS May Use a Large Amount of Memory on a Domain Controller ARTICLE-ID: Q129457 TITLE : Anonymous Connections May Be Able to Obtain the Password Policy This hotfix has been posted to the following Internet location: NOTE: An updated version of this hotfix was posted on May 19, 1998. ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT40/ hotfixes-postSP3/lsa2-fix/ NOTE: The above link is one path; it has been wrapped for readability. STATUS ====== Microsoft has released a fully supported hotfix that provides additional protection of sensitive system information stored as LSA secrets. This hotfix has not been fully regression tested and should only be applied to systems determined to be at risk of attack. Please evaluate your system's physical accessibility, network and Internet connectivity, and other factors to determine the degree of risk to your system. If your system is sufficiently at risk, Microsoft recommends you apply this fix. Otherwise, wait for the next Windows NT service pack, which will contain this fix. Please contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information. Additional query words: 4.00 bad password lockout after ============================================================================ THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. 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