Browser being bypassed in public setting...

[BobRoss]

We have PWB set up without address bar, always on top and minimize, maximize and close buttons are disabled.

Patrons are pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL and running task manager, choosing file > new task and entering explorer.exe which will then run behind PWB as PWB is set to always be on top. Patron then right clicks PWB in the task manager application tab and chooses minimize (or can simply close the PWB process in the processess tab). PWB essentially dissapears as the desktop seems to be locked down (no icons and taskbar). Explorer is now viewable and patron enters web address in the explorer address bar and begins to browse the internet.

How can we prevent patrons from bypassing the browser like this?

[Scott]

Use Windows policies or registry edits to disable Task Manager.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555480

This thread may also be of some help.
http://www.teamsoftwaresolutions.com/ph ... .php?t=536

--Scott

[BobRoss]

We would rather not disable the task manager.

So simply put, users are pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL and either closing the PWB process or minimizing the application. Then they are performing a new task on explorer.exe and browsing the internet from its taskbar.

So, two questions.

1. How do I prevent the PWB from being minimized.
2. How do I prevent the PWB process from being closed as a process. When its closed from the application tab it will reopen as per our config.

All without disabling the taskmanager. Also, we have the actual minimize and close buttons disabled.

[Scott]

Here is the answers to your questions.

1. You can prevent PWB from minimizing normally by setting [Browser] DisableMinimizeButton=True in the INI file. However you can not prevent Task Manager from forcing the minimize of applications.

2. You can not prevent Task Manager from forcing a process to close.

Both of the above go against the design of Windows XP. Windows XP, or newer, is designed to keep an application in there own memory space and prevent an errant or crashed application from causing the Operating System to become unstable. Task Manager is designed to be able to close errant or crashed applications to prevent the Operating System from becoming unstable.

Unfortunatley, users are using Task Manager from the Ctrl-Alt-Del (Windows Security Dialog) to close PWB or start a new process.


Now it is possible to disable the Ctrl-Alt-Del (Windows Secutiry dialog), but the only way is to completely replace the Windows Graphical Identification and Authentication (GINA) with a custom one, which replaces the entire Windows logon and security system. This is way more destructive then simply disabling Task Manager, and in the end disables access to Task Manager anyway.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... S.85).aspx


This only leaves disabling Task Manager via a Group Policy or through the Windows Registry.


Which leaves one question.

1. "We would rather not disable the task manager." Why?

--Scott

[BobRoss]

Thanks Scott for your quick and detailed replies. Looks like we'll be disabling task manager, which really isn't a big issue, it just means that we wont be able to recover the operating system from the desktop if a program locks, but will have to restart instead. And that really isn't that big of an issue either.

Thanks again for your help.

[Scott]

You could use Auto Restart application available on our Download page which will close and restart a none responding application.

--Scott