Windows encryption tool Syskey is being removed in the upcoming Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. The utility encrypts password information stored in system databases that are in turn stored in the Windows registry. Its original purpose was to prevent unauthorized, offline password cracking attempts. However, scammers realized they could use the integrated utility to lock users out of their systems, forcing them to pay a ransom (pre-ransomware, but still in use in telephone scams — there are thousands of YouTube videos). In other environments, Syskey provides pre-boot authentication, where the user is challenged for a password before the operating system…
Read the full article: 4 Syskey Encryption Alternatives for Windows 10
