How to Create an Internet Kiosk in 10 Easy Steps Midspot

Page 1 of 6

Midspot
Front Page About

How to get your company to foot the bill How to fly business class on NWA for free

How to Create an Internet Kiosk in 10 Easy Steps

October 26, 2006 8 Comments If you own a business and would like to provide an Internet Cafe to your customers but do not want to worry about them trashing your computer or snooping around your network, there are some things you can do to create a more secure environment. This secure internet browsing mode is commonly referred to as an Internet Kiosk. Disclaimer: This article is designed to cover most angles but does not claim to be conclusive in securing Windows (if there is such a thing!) What we will essentially do is create an automatically updating machine that grants the user access only to Internet Explorer by changing the shell value for that user and by applying local Group Policy to restrict the user. Steps to Create Your Own Internet Kiosk: 1. Install Windows XP (Pro is recommended, but not required. This how-to is based on Pro edition) on a NTFS formatted hard drive. 2. Install all updates via windowsupdate.microsoft.com and set automatic updates to install automatically in the future on a daily basis 3. Install your anti virus software of choice and set it to auto update 4. Install Flash, Macromedia, and acrobat reader if you so choose 5. create a new user account with admin privileges, set the password to never expire and to not be able to be changed by the user 6. log in with that user and make the following registry change: click Start -> Run and type regedit and click OK Once the Registry Editor opens, click File and Export to create a backup of the registry (in case something goes wrong). Place this in the C:\Windows folder. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Winlogon Create a new string value called shell (Edit -> New -> String Value) in the Data portion of this new string value type: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE 7. Close the Registry Editor and logout of Windows 8. Log back in with your original admin account 9. Reduce the privileges of the new user account you created earlier to user 10. Click Start -> Run -> Type mmc without the quotes. On the File menu click Add/Remove Snap-in. Click Add. Under Available Stand-alone Snap-ins, click Group Policy, and then click Add. This will open the Group Policy editor where you can limit user rights to your hearts content. I would recommend dis-allowing control panel access, Active Desktop options, Task Manager from Ctrl-Alt-Del, and other obvious settings to ensure that your users can only do what you say.

http://midspot.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/how-to-create-an-internet-kiosk-in-10-easy-steps/

1/30/2010

How to Create an Internet Kiosk in 10 Easy Steps Midspot

Page 2 of 6

There you have it, 10 easy steps to create your own secure Internet Kiosk. When your newly created restricted user logs in, they will only get an Internet Explorer window. No start menu or desktop options. If you have any suggestions on how to improve the security of your newly installed Internet Kiosk, please share them with our readers. Technorati Tags: kiosk, Windows, internet, work, office, how-to, list, lists, steps, easy, internet kiosk, Windows XP Ads by Google

Kiosk

Build Your Own Kiosk & Configure. Price & Buy Them Online. Visit Now! www.Kis-Kiosk.com
Categories: Life Lists Microsoft Technology Top Ten censorship office online solutions usability web work

8 responses so far
JimThePCGuy // December 10, 2006 at 2:51 am | Reply This was a very helpful article; however, Im not sure removing the ctrl+alt+del would be smart concidering the only way to shutdown or logoff would be to do a hard-shutdown. Please tell me if Im mistaken! Kate // January 17, 2007 at 9:50 pm | Reply This is actually the perfect for what I am trying to do with the one exception jim has pointed out. I need to be able to switch from a user that is in kiosk mode (full screen web shell) from the keyboard to my admin screen many times per work day shared computer. Anyone have any suggestions while I google up some more thoughts? Fundraiser // January 18, 2007 at 3:59 pm | Reply A few questions from a blog idiot How do you keep the spammers from eating you alive? i\ve seen blogs with nothing but spam postings. How do you keep some left wing extremist from posting racist or defamatory rhetoric? and if you cant stop them, what are you legally liabel when they do? can viruses be posted to blogs? midspot // January 18, 2007 at 4:15 pm | Reply Fundraiser: wordpress with akismet spam engine. MIKE // February 22, 2007 at 8:47 am | Reply So what happens when the user closes IE? I set a group policy setting that does not allow IE to be closed, but anytime there is a pop-up you cant close that either. midspot // February 22, 2007 at 11:44 am | Reply yes, that is one caveat of doing this. I also used grp policy to disallow closing, but then I relied on the built in pop-up blocker and the help of Google toolbar to fend off pop-ups

http://midspot.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/how-to-create-an-internet-kiosk-in-10-easy-steps/

1/30/2010

How to Create an Internet Kiosk in 10 Easy Steps Midspot

Page 3 of 6

stan wu // April 2, 2007 at 10:22 am | Reply this is another way to make a kiosk mode more easy http://knoppix.tnc.edu.tw/modules/news/article.php?storyid=240 This is a linux live cd what build in the firefox kiosk mode (Google KIOSK) Rich Gregory // May 26, 2008 at 6:47 pm | Reply First a question about the Group Policy editor How do I limit only the user rights for ONE user ID (KIOSK) without restricting any other users on the system? Also, although you mention disabling some items (control panel access, Active Desktop options, Task Manager from Ctrl-Alt-Del, and other obvious settings) but you dont say how. Lastly, shouldnt the Start button also be disabled? (And how?) Sorry for the newbie-ish nature of the questions but Im completely unfamiliar with this editor! Thx R

Leave a Comment
Name E-mail Website

Notify me of follow-up comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email.
Submit

http://midspot.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/how-to-create-an-internet-kiosk-in-10-easy-steps/

1/30/2010

How to Create an Internet Kiosk in 10 Easy Steps Midspot

Page 4 of 6

About Me

Jon Barnhardt Cell: 701.220.6211 Syndication: To search, type and hit en

Calendar
October 2006 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Sep Nov

Archives
June 2007 (1) May 2007 (21) April 2007 (32) March 2007 (42) February 2007 (15) January 2007 (24) December 2006 (41) November 2006 (94) October 2006 (71) September 2006 (33) August 2006 (41) July 2006 (26) June 2006 (24) May 2006 (18) April 2006 (6) March 2006 (29) February 2006 (28) December 2001 (1)

Blogroll
Google Finance

http://midspot.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/how-to-create-an-internet-kiosk-in-10-easy-steps/

1/30/2010

How to Create an Internet Kiosk in 10 Easy Steps Midspot

Page 5 of 6

Internet Wonders Jason Kristy Midspot Site Pre-2006 Post Archive RSS Feed Comments RSS Feed Site Site Login WebMail Woot

Disclaimer
Everything posted on this site are the thoughts, views and opinions of me. They may not reflect the views of my employer and are not approved or screened by anyone but me before being posted.

Top Posts
Mod Your Xbox 360 to Play Burned Games Update Your Verizon Phone How to Create an Internet Kiosk in 10 Easy Steps How to Create an .exe File for Free Correct syntax for using SSH and SFTP on Ubuntu on irregular ports Top Ten Reasons to use Ubuntu The most annoying co-worker personalities Top Ten Windows Applications that are Hard to Live Without Interesting Post on Child Support Taco Bell Meat Recipe

Daily Links
MythBusters Results: Season 1 Parents defend decision to keep girl a child - World - Times Online Games for Ubuntu Linux Tweak ubuntu for speed - TVease Wiki The Road to Know Where: Ultimate List of Free Windows Software from Microsoft The Wealth Report - WSJ.com SoftwareFor.org: Home of Software for Starving Students NTFS.com How can I burn ISO file to CD or DVD? Write ISO image to CD,DVD,CD-RW,CDR,DVDRW. From Father to Son, Last Words to Live By - New York Times Fake Name Generator The Simple Dollar 25 Gadgets That Actually Save Money Complete Ubunt Edgy Eft 6.10 Sources.list PR Leap: What is PR Leap? Learn More The many faces of Ubuntu Linux yorkspace.com The PC De-Crapifier

http://midspot.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/how-to-create-an-internet-kiosk-in-10-easy-steps/

1/30/2010

How to Create an Internet Kiosk in 10 Easy Steps Midspot

Page 6 of 6

Flickr Photos

More Photos Blog at WordPress.com. Theme: Cutline by Chris Pearson.

http://midspot.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/how-to-create-an-internet-kiosk-in-10-easy-steps/

1/30/2010