Setup guide

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Chapter 4-
Configuring System Settings
Figure 2: System Preferences Application
Many options within the System Preferences application require an administrator’s
password to unlock. When an option has been selected and its settings appear in the
System Preferences panel, a lock icon will appear in the bottom left corner of the
window if that particular option is lockable. The locked preferences are
automatically secured when a regular user logs in, and are automatically unlocked
when an administrator logs in. They can be locked by anyone, and unlocked by
anyone who knows the administrator’s name and password. To unlock an option for
editing, click on the locked lock icon, and enter an administrator’s login ID and
password when prompted. To lock a panel, simply click on the unlocked lock icon.
The following sections review options in the System Preferences application with
security implications and indicate recommended settings. Options within System
Preferences that are not relevant to system security are not addressed. Options with
security implications that are relevant to user accounts are addressed in Chapter 5.
Desktop and Screen Saver
The Desktop and Screen Saver option is found in the Personal row in System
Preferences. The screen saver should be automatically activated when the computer
has been idle for a specified amount of time. When used in conjunction with
requiring a password to wake the machine from sleep or the screen saver, this will
help prevent an unattended system from being used by unauthorized users.
Instructions for configuring the password requirement can be found later in this
chapter, under the Other Security Settings section.
The Desktop and Screen Saver option is not lockable and must be set separately for
each user account. Even if the administrator sets a time to automatically activate the
screen saver, the user will be able to change that value for his own account. The