Graphical identification and authentication: Difference between revisions

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{{unreferenced|date=April 2009}}

The '''graphical identification and authentication''' ('''GINA''') is a component of [[Windows 2000]], [[Windows XP]] and [[Windows Server 2003]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn169014%28v=ws.10%29.aspx|title = Credentials Management in Windows Authentication|date = 11 April 2013|accessdate = |website = [[Microsoft TechNet|TechNet]]|publisher = [[Microsoft]]|last = |first = }}</ref> that provides secure authentication and interactive [[Logging (computer security)|logon]] services. GINA is a replaceable [[dynamically linked library]] that is loaded early in the boot process in the context of [[Winlogon]] when the machine is started. It is responsible for handling the [[secure attention key|secure attention sequence]], typically [[Control-Alt-Delete]], and interacting with the user when this sequence is received. GINA is also responsible for starting initial processes for a user (such as the [[Windows Shell]]) when they first log on.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url = http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa380543.aspx|title = Winlogon and GINA|date = |accessdate = 4 December 2014|website = [[MSDN]]|publisher = [[Microsoft]]|last = |first = }}</ref> GINA is discontinued in [[Windows Vista]].<ref name=":1" />

The '''graphical identification and authentication''' ('''GINA''') library is a component of some [[Microsoft Windows]] [[operating system]]s that provides secure authentication and interactive [[Logging (computer security)|logon]] services.

GINA is a replaceable [[dynamically linked library]] that is loaded early in the boot process in the context of [[Winlogon]] when the machine is started. It is responsible for handling the [[secure attention key|secure attention sequence]], typically [[Control-Alt-Delete]], and interacting with the user when this sequence is received. GINA is also responsible for starting initial processes for a user (such as the [[Windows Shell]]) when they first log on.

==Overview==

[[File:Xp windows security.png|thumb|250px|right|"Windows Security" dialog in Windows XP: GINA is responsible for bringing up this dialog when [[Ctrl+Alt+Delete]] key combination is pressed]]A default GINA library, MSGINA.DLL, is provided by Microsoft as part of the operating system, and offers the following features:

[[File:Windows Security screen in Windows 8.png|250px|thumb|right|"Windows Security" screen seen in [[Windows 8]]. "Windows Security" screen is invoked by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete while a user is logged on to [[Windows Vista]] or later.]]

A default GINA library, MSGINA.DLL, is provided by Microsoft as part of the operating system, and offers the following features:

*Authentication against Windows [[Windows Server ___domain|___domain]] servers with a supplied user name/password combination.

*Displaying of a legal notice to the user prior to presenting the logon prompt.

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Support for replaceable GINA DLLs was introduced with Windows NT Server 3.51 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP3. Successive versions of Windows have introduced additional functionality into Winlogon, resulting in additional functionality that can be implemented by a replacement GINA. [[Windows 2000]], for example, introduced support for displaying status messages (including verbose messages that can be turned on through [[Group Policy]]) about the current state to the user (e.g. "Applying computer settings..."), and starting applications in the user's context; this facilitates restarting [[Windows Explorer]] automatically if it crashes, as well as starting the Task Manager. [[Windows XP]] introduced support for [[Fast User Switching]], [[Remote Desktop Protocol|Remote Desktop]] and a more interactive, simplified and user-friendly full-screen logon.

==RecentEnd Windowsof versionslife==

In [[Windows Vista]], GINA has been entirely replaced by '''Credential Providers''', which allow for significantly increased flexibility in supporting multiple credential collection methods. To support the use of multiple GINA models, a complex chaining method used to be required and custom GINAs often did not work with [[fast user switching]]. GINA libraries do not work with Windows Vista and later Windows versions. One difference, however, is that GINA could completely replace the Windows logon user interface; Credential Providers cannot.<ref name=":0" />

==See also==

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* [[Windows NT Startup Process]]

== References ==

{{Reflist|1}}

==External links==

*[http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa380543.aspx Winlogon and GINA], developer information on how the login components interact