Is my Win10 computer secure if I blank the password and use a strong PIN?

Question

I've read up a bit on the differences between a Windows password and a PIN. From the sounds of it, the PIN is used for local sign-ins only and works with TPM, but doesn't allow remote connections. The password, on the other hand, applies to the Microsoft account I created when I installed Windows 10. As a security and privacy conscious user, I have a local user account and don't need any of the sync or other account-related features that the password allows. If I blank the password, which I've read disables it, what can I expect?

• Will this allow people to log into my computer without any kind of authentication?
• Will drive encryption still work?
• Will my unused Microsoft account be left wide open without a password?

Are there any other surprises I haven't anticipated that this would cause? Is there another way to remove the password associated with the Microsoft account?

Answer 1

From the sounds of it, the PIN is used for local sign-ins only and works with TPM, but doesn't allow remote connections.

A Windows Hello pin doesn’t have anything to do with a TPM.

The password, on the other hand, applies to the Microsoft account I created when I installed Windows 10. As a security and privacy conscious user, I have a local user account and don't need any of the sync or other account-related features that the password allows.

All accounts that are not Active Directory domain accounts are local accounts that only exist on the machine itself. This specifically applies to a local account linked to a Microsoft account.

If I blank the password, which I've read disables it, what can I expect?

You cannot assign a Pin to account with a blank password. Even if you could assign a Pin it would not prevent somebody from authenticating with your blank password. An account with a Pin can be authenticated with either the Pin or Password.

Will this allow people to log into my computer without any kind of authentication?

It absolutely will. You will be giving anyone access to every file on your machine. Access will be limited to the rights of the user that didn’t have a password. This includes the ability to disable BitLocker.

Will drive encryption still work?

Of course it will.

Will my unused Microsoft account be left wide open without a password?

Your Microsoft account currently has a password. Your local account linked to that Microsoft account has a password. It is not possible to assign a blank password to an account linked to a Microsoft account.