Custom Settings - SiteKiosk Help

Custom Settings - System Security Manager

What is the System Security Manager for?

A user account named "SiteKiosk" was created automatically during the installation of SiteKiosk. Since the complex configuration of the access rights is extremely difficult even for a professional, the Security Manager under Windows 8, 10 will take on this task. This tool makes adjusting individual access rights a breeze. Keep in mind that custom modifications will rarely be necessary as the quick start menu options will suffice in most cases.

What are user accounts anyway?

Windows 8, 10 allows you to create multiple user accounts (START/CONTROL PANEL/USER ACCOUNTS). You can assign different access rights to these user accounts. This will make it possible for you to, for example, create a guest account on your system in addition to your own user account, which will usually have administrator rights with full access to the system. You can then, for instance, allow a friend to use this guest account if you do not want her to have full access to your computer and your private information.

If you created more than one user account, all of these accounts will be displayed on the so-called login screen after your system has booted up. The user can then log on entering the password assigned to her and will only have access to the features and files that have been approved for this user account. SiteKiosk will create a user account named SiteKiosk during the installation process. This account is, by default, a user account with limited access rights. This account can be restricted even further using the Security Manager, which is also done automatically during installation. You will not have to adjust the default settings for the SiteKiosk user by means of the System Security Manager's custom settings unless it is necessary, for instance, for running certain applications.

Demo version note:
Please note that you will not be able to change the Security Manager's default settings until you have registered SiteKiosk.

1. Tips

In most cases, you will find the Security Manager's default settings sufficient for your purposes. Therefore, simply select the Safe option in the quick start menu and click on OK.

You may find this additional information help, in particular when using custom settings:

1.1 Only Administrators are allowed to alter configurations

If you want to modify settings in SiteKiosk's configuration or in the Security System Manager, you will have to be logged on as a Windows user with administrative rights. Thus, log out of your SiteKiosk user account and log back on as an administrator if you want to alter the settings. You can also launch the SiteKiosk configuration directly from the Exit menu of SiteKiosk under a restricted user account. You will then be prompted to enter your administrator password when you launch the configuration tool.

1.2 Logging out of your SiteKiosk user account

To log out, you can click on the logout options in SiteKiosk’s Exit dialog box.

Provided you are on the desktop belonging to the limited SiteKiosk user, SiteKiosk is not open, and you have not turned on the "Hide auto logout" option under Policies, you can also log out using the Start->Log out. Windows 8, 10 also allows you to press CTRL-ALT-DEL to open the login dialog box provided SiteKiosk is not open.

1.3 Cancelling the auto login process

If you run SiteKiosk using the recommended auto start option, the SiteKiosk user will be signed in automatically when the computer boots up. You can cancel the auto login process by holding down the SHIFT key. However, you may have to keyboard lock first if you locked the keyboard previously. Please note that the window left to complete this process on modern computers is exceptionally brief and may not be long enough.

Should you experience problems while launching SiteKiosk and be unable to interrupt auto login, please follow these instructions to regain access to your system.

1.4 Changing the System Security Manager settings takes a long time
Changing your user rights to the "SiteKiosk" user account may, indeed, take several minuts. This is mainly due to the fact that read/write access has to be modified for all directories on your hard drive. The more files are stored on the computer, the longer this process will take. Please do not cancel the setting of these rights even if the process takes an inordinate amount of time. The Windows Registry of the SiteKiosk user may otherwise become inconsistent.

1.5 Granting access to file manager (Windows Explorer)
You do not have any seconds thoughts about allowing your users to use Microsoft's Windows Explorer as an application if SiteKiosk is executed by the user SiteKiosk. The Security Manager disabled all critical functions for this user. We do, however, recommend that you use the file manager that is built into SiteKiosk.

1.6 Do not confuse My Documents (SiteKiosk) with My Documents (admin)
By default, the Security Manager will release the folder My Documents under the SiteKiosk user for read/write access to files. Consequently, users will be able to store files in this location and open them in other applications (such as Microsoft Office).
By default, the SiteKiosk user does not have access to the My Documents folder of other users, e. g. your administrator account. Please do not store files in this folder to which you want the SiteKiosk user to have access.
When defining the file system rights, make sure that you only release the My Documents folder of the SiteKiosk user rather than the My Documents folder of, for example, the administrator account.

1.7 Uninstalling SiteKiosk and the SiteKiosk user account
Uninstalling SiteKiosk also automatically uninstalls the SiteKiosk user account. The uninstall process may take several minutes as the user rights you defined must be removed again completely.

1.8 Saving SiteKiosk configuration files (.skcfg) to the SiteKiosk Config folder
In order to make sure that your users will not have access to SiteKiosk configuration files (.skcfg), for instance by using permitted external applications, you should always store configuration files in the Config folder located in SiteKiosk's installation directory. By default, the SiteKiosk user will be unable to access this folder.

1.9 Deleting files created by the user automatically
You can have the files created by users (e. g. based on permitted downloads) deleted automatically by SiteKiosk. You will find the necessary settings for this option in SiteKiosk's configuration tool under File manager.

1.10 Security risks through USB memory sticks or other removable storage drives
As long as you make the ports of your computer accessible to them, users will be able to plug in any removable memory media that they may have. This poses a security risk because users may try and execute tools or programs stored on these media.
There is an option in SiteKiosk's configuration tool under Access that says "Lock workstation when removable disk is attached." Turn on this option if you want to ensure that users will not have access to the data stored on these storage drives. In addition, the System Security Manager will also enable auto start mode for the CD/DVD drive and removable storage media under the SiteKiosk user.

1.11 ATTENTION: FAT-formatted hard drives
Windows gives you the option of choosing between two different types of hard drive formatting: NTFS and FAT.

Only an NTFS-formatted hard drive allows you to assign specific user rights to every file. If one of your hard drives use the FAT format, the Security Manager will show a warning upon start-up. FAT-formatted hard drives represent a security risk.

As shown in the example below, you can use the command line to convert FAT-formatted hard drives to the NTFS file format WITHOUT running the danger of losing any data stored on your hard drive:
CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS

In most cases, the actual converting will take place during the next system boot. For more information on the CONVERT command, enter CONVERT into the command line followed by the ? parameter:
CONVERT /?

1.12 BIOS settings
SiteKiosk cannot affect your BIOS settings. Therefore, for information on how to back up your BIOS, click here.

2. Managing configurations

You will find some basic options to manage your custom settings on the Welcome oage for the custom settings of the System Security Manager.

2.1 Reset to default configuration
Use this function to load the restrictive default settings predefined by the System Security Manager and set them for the user account.

2.2 Load unrestricted profile
This option allows you to loosen the restrictions of the SiteKiosk user account. Once applied, these rights will be the same as the ones available to the default Windows user group.

You will need this option when installing applications that are set up once for a user. For instance, if you want to use Word under the restricted user, Word must be launched once under the unrestricted SiteKiosk user to allow the application to subsequently run without displaying any prompts.

Consequently, if you have already assigned limited rights to the SiteKiosk account, you can use this option to revert this process and subsequently log in with your SiteKiosk user to make the desired changes. When you are finished, remember to reset the user rights to provide the user with additional protection.

2.3 Import settings
You can use use this option to reimport the settings you previously exported for the System Security Manager.

2.4 Export settings
Conversely, you can use this option to export the settings you adjusted for SiteKiosk's System Security Manager. You may want to use this option, for instance, if you need to use your settings on several computers. The file extension for the corresponding files is: .swcfg.