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Windows 11 24H2 and Insecure Guest Logins settings

Anonymous
2024-05-24T20:09:51+00:00

I updated a computer to Windows 11 24H2 in the Release Preview channel. My question is, is Microsoft going to default insecure guest logins to disabled in 24H2? Windows Enterprise already is set this way. After updating a computer to 24H2 from 23H2, I could not connect to shares on another machine that are set up to not require a login (everyone access in the security and shares screen, and password protected sharing turned off). If the shares have a password that is set up and everything, I could get them to work properly, also setting it in group policy to allow insecure guest logins worked too. Is it a bug or is it the new default?

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-05-27T00:43:43+00:00

    Hello Logan,

    Thank you for reaching out with your question regarding insecure guest logins in Windows 11 24H2.

    Background:

    Microsoft has been progressively increasing the security measures in Windows, and disabling insecure guest logins is one of those steps. Insecure guest logins can pose a significant security risk because they allow access to network shares without requiring a username or password. This change aligns with the security enhancements seen in Windows Enterprise editions.

    Your Situation:

    After updating to Windows 11 24H2, you found that connecting to network shares without requiring a login (everyone access, password protected sharing turned off) no longer works. Shares with a password and those configured in group policy to allow insecure guest logins function correctly.

    Explanation:

    Based on the behavior you described, it seems Microsoft is indeed defaulting insecure guest logins to disabled in Windows 11 24H2. This change would enhance security by preventing anonymous access to network shares.

    Steps to Address the Issue:

    1. Enable Insecure Guest Logins via Group Policy:

    • Press **Win + R**, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
    • Navigate to **Computer Configuration** > **Administrative Templates** > **Network** > **Lanman Workstation**.
    • Double-click **Enable insecure guest logons** and set it to **Enabled**.
    • Apply the changes and restart your computer.

    2. Enable Insecure Guest Logins via Registry Editor:

    • Press **Win + R**, type regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
    • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters.

    • If the AllowInsecureGuestAuth entry does not exist, right-click and select **New** > **DWORD (32-bit) Value**, and name it AllowInsecureGuestAuth.
    • Set the value of AllowInsecureGuestAuth to 1.
    • Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

    3. Consider Alternative Security Measures:

    • Instead of enabling insecure guest logins, consider setting up password-protected sharing for better security.
    • Ensure that all users have appropriate permissions to access the necessary shares.

    Best regards,

    Rosy

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-11-21T19:44:23+00:00

    This was the only way for it to work for me. Editing the group policy or registery just added a new error after that saying "an extended error has occurred."

    Thank you internet stranger, you should be paid by M$!

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-02-08T14:16:43+00:00

    My system can't print to my network printer in 24H2. In 23H2 it wasn't a problem (in fact, I rolled back to 23H2 with an image backup as a temporary workaround).

    Will enabling insecure guest logins work for my printing issue in 24H2? The next question may be stupid -- I'm just a amateur. Is password-protected sharing even applicable to printing?

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