Security Account Manager (SAM)
Hello All,
Hope this post finds you in good health and spirit.
What is the Security Account Manager (SAM)?
You must input a password to obtain access to your Windows Operating System when you log in. Have you ever wondered where your passwords go when you establish a new user account, create a new password, or update an existing password? All Windows operating system passwords are kept in a Security Account Manager (SAM) file in the SAM database.
What exactly is SAM?
Windows saves and maintains local user and group accounts in the Security Account Manager database file (SAM). It validates local user logons. Just saves the administrator account from when the Domain Controller was a server, which acts as the Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) recovery account.
What is the purpose of SAM?
As the computer boots up, the SAM database runs in the background as a background process. The SAM also collaborates with other processes and services that are running. Windows machines can be configured to be in a workgroup or to join a domain. Each machine in a workgroup has its own SAM, which includes information on all of its local users and group accounts. Passwords for each of these accounts are hashed and saved in the SAM. Password hashing provides some protection and reduces the dangers of an attack. The Local Security Authority (LSA) checks a user’s login attempt by comparing their credentials to the SAM data.
There are two sorts of logons that may occur on a domain-joined computer: local logons (which are handled by the SAM as explained above) and domain user logons that use the Active Directory (AD) database with the WinLogon service. When a user signs on to a computer as a local user, the user is unable to access network resources. A Windows server that has been elevated to DC will store data in the AD database rather than the SAM. The SAM will only be used when booting into DSRM to execute maintenance tasks. This is due to the fact that the DSRM administrator password is saved locally in the SAM rather than in AD.
Simply put, be it a domain-joined computer or a standalone computer, local logon can occur only through the SAM.
How does SAM work?
As the computer boots up, the SAM database runs in the background as a background process. The SAM also collaborates with other programmes and services that operate on the computer by delivering the necessary security information. The SAM’s major purpose is to improve system security and safeguard against data breaches if system credentials are compromised.
Where to find the Security Account Manager file?
Go to This PC -> C drive.
Inside the C drive, open Windows -> System32 -> config.
The hashed values of all passwords find a place in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM of the registry. However, there are rules that govern ‘when’ and ‘who’ can access this file.
Even though it is stored locally, any user cannot access the file while it is running. Continue reading to find out why the SAM failure message appears, what happens when you delete a SAM file, and how to restore it.
Causes of SAM initialization failure:
The following can be the reasons for the causes of SAM initialization failure:
- In some cases, a Security Accounts Manager (SAM) file is corrupted or missing. If a file is missing, Windows cannot locate it and terminates its current tasks.
- Windows cannot read a corrupted file correctly. In addition, if a file is missing or corrupt, the boot process is halted. Instead of continuing, the process terminates and an error message is displayed. The error message is as follows:
Security Accounts Manager initialization failed because of the following error: A device attached to the system is not functioning. Error Status: 0xc0000001. Please click OK to shut down this system and reboot into Safe Mode, check the event log for more detailed information.
Key boot-related system files are corrupted due to disc write errors, power outages, or virus attacks.
How to extract a SAM file using Command Prompt (CMD)?
Using CMD is the simplest method to extract a SAM file, because all the other methods require you to download external tools, or use shadow volumes.
- Run Command Prompt as system administrator.
- Run the following to extract a SAM file from a SAM database
reg save hklm\sam c:\sam
(where c:\sam indicates the name and drive of the output file.)
- Run the following to extract the system key
reg save hklm\system c:\system
(where c:\system indicates the name and drive of the output file.)
- After successful execution, you will find a SAM file and system key in the location mentioned in the command.
Note: The output files are encrypted, and you can dump the hashes to get the password.
Is it possible to disable SAM?
When you disable SAM, your computer’s services and apps will cease operating correctly. SAM also allows users to access services such as the Internet and email, as well as other operations such as requiring administrator-level user credentials. If SAM is deactivated, other services and processes will fail to start, and they will not be alerted when SAM is ready to give security information to running services and processes.
What happens after deleting a SAM file?
On a workgroup computer, a SAM file is in responsibility of saving the passwords of local users. Typically, it is difficult to remove a SAM file while Windows is operating because the Windows Kernel locks it to all users.
If a SAM is accidentally deleted while Windows is operating, the system loses all user account credentials, resulting in an error exception “Security Accounts Manager startup failed due to the following problem: A gadget connected to the system is not working. The error code is 0xc0000001. Please click OK to shut down this system and reboot into Safe Mode, see the event log for further details” and shutting down.
If a SAM is deleted while Windows is not running, for example when booting from a live Linux media, Windows is unable to load the user login screen and will crash. A backup copy of a SAM may be found in the folder C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack, but you have no control or knowledge of when it was backed up.
How to restore the Security Account Manager?
You can restore the database file if SAM is missing from your office computer or if you receive a notification claiming that SAM is corrupt.
- Search for lsass.exe in the i386 directory on your C: drive.
- Copy the file’s name by right-clicking it and selecting Copy.
- Open the System32 directory in the Windows folder on your machine.
- Right-click anywhere in the directory pane and select Paste.
- To finish the database installation, restart your computer.
System administrators must become acquainted with SAM and its operation in order to comprehend how Windows processes and maintains credentials. This, in turn, will assist administrators in developing better password management and security practices- monitoring and resolving issues such as SAM failure or authentication delays, ensuring that the user experience is unaffected. Although being chastised for security weaknesses, SAM may nevertheless assist defend the system from most assaults when used in conjunction with recommended practises such as granting users limited access and permissions and enforcing password and account lockout restrictions.
So, that’s all in this blog. I will meet you soon with next stuff .Have a nice day !!!
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