The Windows Registry is really useful for hacking
the Windows operating system. It allows the user to
enable or disable Windows options simply by changing
a few parameters within the Registry.
Changing options in the Registry is fine if you
are the administrator and you know what you are
doing. However, it is really easy for an
unknowledgeable person to also access the Registry.
Obviously, if a person who does not know what
they are doing starts editing the Windows Registry
untold damage could be done to your system, in some
cases, even rendering it completely useless.
If you have multiple users using your PC it may
be wise to simply disable access to the Registry.
This option, however, is only useful if the users'
using your PC are not given administrator
privileges. The only person with administrative
privileges must be You.
To disable access to the Registry proceed as
follows:
Please Note: You must be an
administrator to enable this setting as you will be
editing the Windows 8/8.1 Pro group Policy.
- Right click on the Start
button and, from the drop down menu, select the
Run option.
- In the Run dialogue box,
type: gpedit.msc and
click the OK button.
Fig: 8.27.1 Type
gpedit.msc into the Run box and press OK
- When the Group Policy Editor
opens, navigate to: User Configuration
then Administrative Templates
and finally System.
- Now look in the Right hand Pane
of the Group Policy Editor and double
click on the Prevent access to
the registry editing tools option.
Fig: 8.27.2 Double click on
the Prevent access to the registry tools option
- When the Prevent access to the
registry editing tools window opens,
Click on the Enabled option.
Fig: 8.27.3 Click the enabled
radio button followed by OK
- Finally click the OK button
to exit the Group Policy Editor.
- Now if an unauthorized user attempt to
access the registry the following warning
message (see below) will pop up on the screen.
Fig: 8.27.4 An unauthorised
user is warned about trying to access the
registry