Locking webcam name

[Mario87]

We have a few laptops at work that are shared out for users to take & use, however some users have decided to rename the webcam to some rather inappropriate names.

Managed to find out who did it by locating the registry key that had been modified, what date/time it was done and who was on at that time. However, what I'm now wanting to do, is lock the name of the web cam, so that it can't be changed. We don't have a problem with them using the cam if they need it, but just want to stop them renaming it.

I tried editing the permissions of the registry key that had the "modified" name in it, however, when you log in as a normal user and try to change the name it appears like it won't change, but after trying to change it, if you start the webcam, then exit from it, the name has changed, but the registry has not. This would be fine if it forgot the name once the user logged off, but when you log back in as another user, it's still changed, even tho the registry key is untouched. Have checked to see if there are any other registries associated with the webcam name, but can't find anything.

So is there any way to lock the webcam name and prevent "normal" users changing it. Only Admin should be able to change it.

Cheers!

[Possy_99]

personally I'd send everyone a memo/email saying if they fuck about where they shouldn't be (the registry) they could stop the computer from working, and remind them that people have been sacked from other companies for alot less (frog in a blender springs to mind)

..maybe look into SteadyState from m$ - when the computer is turned off it reverts back to it's default configuration.. any changes the user makes is undone.

[Mario87]

They don't have access to regedit mate, they just changed the name of the cam the usual way (right click, rename), but that in turn edits the registry and was how we found out exactly who was responsible for them. However, it still seems possible to change the name of the cam even if you deny all write permissions to the registry key. The registry remains unchanged even tho the name of the cam changes after changing the permissions within the registry which is confusing me a bit.

However that steadystate from M$ sounds good. Does the PC have to be shut down for the config settings to reset to default, or will it do it any time a user logs off, then a new user logs on?

Cheers!

[Possy_99]

I don't actually have it installed right now, but I done a quick search and it seems you can have the computer automatically restart after a user logs off.. seems to be the way forward to undo changes after logoff

[Mario87]

Nice. Will hopefully manage to test it out at work tomorrow. Having to work from home today, because we've been hit with a load of snow, which is a pain in the ass! Got so many things I need to get done at work, but just having to do little bits & bobs, reading on the new system we're getting in summer and finding solutions to problems like this, so I can test it when I get back.

Cheers for the help mate. Will let you know how I get on, but if I can't get in tomorrow it will have to wait till Tues (off Fri & Mon).

[WotTheFook]

Deepfreeze is another program that allows you to set a config that resets any changes made after a restart.

[Mario87]

Forgot to update this, had a wee play with M$ SteadyState, but didn't get to have a proper look, because of other more pressing stuff needing to be done.

Not quite sure it will do the job tho. Will have another go when I'm back in on Tues, but if it doesn't work I'll test out Deepfreeze and see if that's any better.

[Mario87]

Right, managed to have a proper play with this today after finishing other things that needed doing. Windows Steady State works perfectly! When logged in as a user they can do what they could before, but as soon as the machine is re-boot, everything reverts back to how it was before the user changed it. Also allows admin to change things and when logging off asks if you want to log off without saving changes or if you want to save changes you have made to the system and reboot.

Ideal! Many thanks.

[Mario87]

Right, the software does what it is says on the tin, and it does it well. In fact, it does it so well that it's actually preventing any updates being installed off the server!

Luckily we only tested it on 5 of the 25 laptops, but I now have to rebuild & configure those 5 machines. Have had a look at Deepfreeze, but you have to pay for that.

See, I want to simply disable the webcams totally in device manager, but my colleague is INSISTING we don't do that, because once every millenium, they will have a legit use for the webcam. I say if they need to use the damn thing, they can come to us and I'll enable it in device manager, but apparently that's not to her liking!

Anyway, is there any other program that does the same as steadystate, but will allow updates to install, or can I link the cam to the group policies on the server? So that if anyone who is in xxx group logs in, then they can't use the webcam, and if they are not in said policy, then they have access to the cam.

Really doing my head in now, and I'm determined to proove to these bloody users that no matter what they do, we WILL block it eventually.

[Possy_99]

bugger..

so when you said earlier, they're right clicking and selecting rename.. whare are they doing this?

[Mario87]

They are doing it under My Computer mate, the webcam appears at the bottom. Even if I remove the ability to right click, if they select it, then click on it again a second later, it also allows you to rename, so that wouldn't work.

Would love to just disable it for certain users and not others, depending on what group they are in on ther server.

[liveseytowers]

Is this on a domain? You tried looking for group polices to block webcam access or block any .exes that are used when the webcam runs? Would be easy to create two user groups and give some access and block it for the rest.

[Possy_99]

ok, so the webcam is displayed in my computer..

..is this absolubly necessary though, or do you actually use another program to initialise the webcam..

..what I'm getting at really, if one of us could suss how to remove the icon in my computer - would the webcam still be able to be used as before?

[Mario87]

Is this on a domain? You tried looking for group polices to block webcam access or block any .exes that are used when the webcam runs? Would be easy to create two user groups and give some access and block it for the rest.

It's on shared laptops that all connect to the network domain, yes. However, there is no webcam software as such. It's used for video conferencing once every blue moon, and some people use it to mess around.

No .exe's load when you run the cam, it just opens within My Computer. Only thing I can think of would be to stop the driver loading. However, it's not them actually using it that's the problem, it's them renaming the damn thing to stuff others find offensive, etc.

The people who did it have been seen to, but some don't learn, and have done it again, or their mates have done it. If it's locked, then it'll show 'em that things like this are not overlooked and will be taken seriously.

ok, so the webcam is displayed in my computer..

..is this absolubly necessary though, or do you actually use another program to initialise the webcam..

..what I'm getting at really, if one of us could suss how to remove the icon in my computer - would the webcam still be able to be used as before?

Yes, the icon is displayed in My Computer. It's not nessesary for the icon to be there come to think of it! Main thing is that if a video conferencing program were to search for it, then is has to be able to see it.

If we can simply remove the icon, but keep the cam fully functional via other software, then that might work.

At home just now, but will double check if that will be ok tomorrow. Should be though, cos the main thing is to use the cam for conferencing, and to stop people messing around with the webcam name.

However we do have some right fools at work. So if the icon disappears I can see a load of calls coming in asking where it is. Classic example....our old homepage had google search on it, but when it was changed that was removed, and we got a load of folk asking how they get onto google!!

It's Google.com FFS! I say fuck 'em, if they are that thick then they don't deserve to use it (maybe im too harsh?), hence why I said to disable the cam totally, because it's almost never used, and they are just abusing it. However others don't agree. They see them as "customers" who you need to keep happy, I see it in the sense that I run the network, and if you waste my time, then I'll remove your privilages (unless needed for work obv, which the cam isn't really, cos we have proper video conferencing suites!), but that's another matter all together.

[Possy_99]

lol, yeah - i'd tend to agree like..

what webcam is it? I'll download the software and see what's going on..

[Mario87]

There is no software, the webcam is built into the laptops. They are RM machines, but can't remember what model.