Windows 8 Bogus sign in screen?

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Today I got a pop up after Windows loaded that says it's from Microsoft.
It says I need to sign in because I'm accessing private information or something like that.

I was suspicious because I have never seen this screen before so I closed it and ran my malware scanners, which came up empty.

I rebooted and the message came up again, this time I entered my password and it asked my to change my password because it looked like someone else had tried to use it.

Anyone know if this is legit, I don't run my computer from my Microsoft account, so I can just continue after closing the pop up.

Mike

 

[davehc]

If you haven't signed in with a live account, then I would suspect Onedrive as the culprit. Assuming you are using it (?), try disabling it and see if that gets rid of the popup.
Alternatively, if you have changed any of the security features , it might have triggered a Microsoft automated response, but I feel that is most unlikely as you have not, at that stage, logged on live.

 

[ussnorway]

Would be news to me.

You can be asked to confirm (not change) your password… which is, log in to the Microsoft account and run through a security question set up… again that is not a pop up but an email.

a sreenshot of the popup perhaps?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Here's the screen, I don't use my Microsoft Account to log into my computer but I do have one.
It appears that Dave is right, and that this has to do with OneDrive, and is probably legit.

I'm so suspicious anymore, when anything new pops up my first thought is malware.

The fact that it says on the screen that it's Microsoft means nothing anymore.
I've had scams trying to get my Elder Scrolls Online info already.

Link Removed

I don't have any idea why it is popping this screen every time I boot my computer now.

Can't decide if I should go ahead and do what it asks or not.

Mike

 

[davehc]

I think the reason, Mike, is that you have chosen, (settings- change settings- onedrive), to save your material by default. You could try turning this off, and then you would need to manually save everything you wish to send up to the cloud.
I should add: The point being, with the automatic feature on, the OS is requesting that it wishes to save to the cloud, but is unable to without your Live log in.

 

[ussnorway]

I have a m8 at tafe who showed me just how easy it is to hack the onedrive account, so I removed it from all our systems... @Mike a new patch turned it back on for you perhaps?

 

[Saltgrass]

You may also have some kind of link trying to access a OneDrive site for someone else. I will get that message if I am signed in with a Microsoft account, and OneDrive not set up, and try to access some file someone has set up for public download. If I am not signed in, I can download the file fine.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Well, I turned off the option for One Drive to load at start up, and that got rid of the popup when I boot the computer.

​

The funny thing is that I can access my one drive files, (I backed up some photos, videos and music to it as an additional safety step) and it does not ask for my password or anything else, even after turning off the log in thing.

You would think that if it's so concerned about my security that it wants to my to enter a password at launch it would question the access when I go there, when I haven't done so?

Mike

 

[Mitchell_A]

Regarding that, files are stored locally from OneDrive the exact same way a picture or document would be, right on the hard drive and readily accessible. You should also not that all those files are stored in the Microsoft servers which means you're agreeing to the OneDrive terms of service and that Microsoft reserves the right to automatically remove files that do not comply with these terms...


Sent from my iPad using WindowsForum

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

So if I delete them from the folder, they are deleted from the server?
And if I add new files they are added to the server, but they don't ask me to log into my Microsoft account or anything to do so?

I'm surprised that I don't need to at least log in to Windows with my Microsoft ID to access the files.
I never do actually log into Windows with my Microsoft account, though I do have one.

But I suppose they do recognize my computer ID when I'm online anyway, just as they do to confirm my Windows installation validity.

Mike

I answered my own question, I logged into my OneDrive account and the things I deleted from the folder were still there so you can't change it unless you are logged in using your password.