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No password, no remote connections

Simplifying security was one of Microsoft's top issues in Windows XP. Making the user interface more user-friendly wasn't difficult; the biggest challenge was to maintain security and not open the computer to everyone.

Passwords are one of the security chain's weakest links. Most users use passwords that are too easy to guess; sometimes they even use blank passwords (no password at all). This might seem extremely insecure, but it really isn't if you're running Windows XP.

By default, Windows XP doesn't accept remote connections with blank passwords. For example, you might have a computer at home that you alone use. If you aren't concerned that other family members might do something on your computer that you don't want, you could use a blank password and be protected from the outside world (the Internet). Since you have a blank password, Windows XP automatically blocks any network connections with your username.

This means, however, that you won't be able to connect to your computer remotely. If you want to disable this feature, you can turn it off:

1. Open the Local Security Policy console in the Administrative Tools folder.
2. Browse down to: Computer Configuration | Windows Settings | Security Settings | Local Policies | Security Options.
3. Double-click Accounts: Limit Local Account Use Of Blank Passwords To Console Logon Only.
4. Check the Enabled option.