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This is the third time I've seen this when working on site for a customer, so I know it's possible, I'm just wondering how.

It seems that the Local Administrator account has it's password changed everyday, even if not connected to the domain controller at the time, automatically. The workstations are XP, Vista or 7. I know they weren't connected to the domain controller when this automatic update happens, because the latest client had the NIC fail before the next password change. How can I automatically change the Administrator password on a schedule, and how can I find out the formula for what the next password is given x day of y month?

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    Huh? The customer is automatically changing the Local Administrator password (which doesn't require DC connectivity) and you want to know how they are doing it? Why not just ask them how they are doing it? There are multiple scripting ways to schedule password changes.
    – TheCleaner
    Feb 13, 2013 at 17:30
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    The Local Administrator password does not automatically change itself. Check event logs to see when it was changed. Otherwise see @TheCleaner's response.
    – Brent Pabst
    Feb 13, 2013 at 17:30
  • How can I do this myself? - Maybe some kind of OTP authentication plugin? With a OTP setup you know the password because you have a device which generates them for you.
    – Zoredache
    Feb 13, 2013 at 17:37
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    @TheCleaner The IT department is making the changes, automatically, to the local Admin user on every computer, even when the computer is not connected
    – Canadian Luke
    Feb 13, 2013 at 18:03
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    @Luke - again... if "the IT department is making the changes" can't you simply ask them what script/etc. they are using to change it? The Local admin account (or any local account) can be changed locally without any network access required. NOTE: To better ask your question, you should edit your question to simply ask "How can I automatically change the local admin password on a schedule?" instead of including your personal scenario.
    – TheCleaner
    Feb 13, 2013 at 18:53

1 Answer 1

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UPDATE 9/2/2016 - I believe MS is recommending using their LAPS tool now: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/security/3062591.aspx

To answer the real question of "how can I change a local admin password on a schedule?", we use Local Security Utility (found on the web about 5 years ago), or you can simply use cusrmgr.exe from MS through a batch file locally.

Links:

Changing passwords with Cusrmgr.exe

Changing passwords with Local Security Utility

Personally, we like the Local Security Utility, especially since it gives a percentage to us and "comments" in the user account. It works well enough for our Helpdesk to use.

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  • @TheCleaner second link is down
    – illegal-immigrant
    Sep 1, 2016 at 18:54
  • @taras.roshko - thanks, I'll update,, as the LAPS is what I believe MS recommends now.
    – TheCleaner
    Sep 2, 2016 at 14:47

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