GINA

This article covers the software. For the meanings of the name, see Gina .

This article or the following section is not adequately provided with supporting documents ( e.g. individual evidence ). Information without sufficient evidence could be removed soon. Please help Wikipedia by researching the information and including good evidence.

GINA ( . Engl graphical identification and authentication , "graphical identification and authentication") is a software component of some older Microsoft Windows - operating systems is that secure authentication and interactive logon services.

GINA is a dynamic link library that is loaded together with the Winlogon process when the system is started. It is responsible for processing a key combination for secure logon (usually Strg+ Alt+ Entf), receiving the user name and password , checking and starting the first processes for the user (e.g. the taskbar ).

Since Windows Vista , Microsoft has replaced the GINA with a new component, called the Credential Provider .

overview

Microsoft provides a standard GINA library (MSGINA.DLL) as part of the operating system, which offers the following functions:

• Authentication of the user name and password with a domain controller
• Display of a legal notice before the login dialog is displayed
• Automatic login with saved user name and password so that no login dialog appears. The automatic login can be configured so that it only carries out a certain number of logins before a password prompt appears again.
• The "Windows Security" dialog with which a logged-in user can shut down the operating system, log out, change his password, start the task manager and lock the computer.

Winlogon can be configured to use another GINA library that supports other authentication methods such as. B. supports smart cards or fingerprint scanners or provides a different login interface.