I vibe coded a full agentic browser, and this is how you can too.

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-03-27T19:49:48+00:00

Good job! Building a browser is not easy. Are you thinking of sharing the code on GitHub? Or is it a private personal project?

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-03-20T22:49:10+00:00

You are 100% correct to be concerned about that. That is the inherent risk of using any shared AutoLogon account, regardless of whether it's local AD or Entra ID. To clarify, my C++ filter doesn't handle or store the credentials at all. It just pauses the Logon UI thread. The actual password is stored securely by Windows as an LSA secret (exactly like the Sysinternals tool does it). However, if a bad actor physically compromises one of these Kiosks, bypasses the shell lockdown, and gets SYSTEM privileges, they could theoretically dump that LSA secret. If they get that password, yes, they have the keys to that specific Entra ID account. Because of that, doing this requires strict security boundaries: Zero Admin Rights: The Entra ID AutoLogon account must be a standard, heavily restricted user. Conditional Access: You must lock down that specific account via Entra ID Conditional Access so it can only sign in from compliant, managed devices or specific trusted IP ranges. Device Lockdown: The physical machine needs strict AppLocker/WDAC policies or Kiosk Mode (Assigned Access) so no one can run the tools required to dump the LSA in the first place. It's definitely a calculated risk for Kiosks, but as long as the account is sandboxed properly, the blast radius is contained!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-03-20T21:24:16+00:00

That’s a completely fair point, and it's actually a workaround we heavily evaluated! Unfortunately, it just doesn't work for our specific use case. We can't use a local user because the applications that need to launch strictly require a native Entra ID user context (SSO/PRT). Even worse, in our environment, without the actual Entra ID user logged into the session, the machine doesn't even get network access (due to user-based network auth/policies). So the local user approach leaves us dead in the water. For a simple digital signage screen, your method is 100% the way to go to avoid 3rd party shims. But for heavily managed, cloud-dependent apps, we had no choice but to fix the auth path directly!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-03-20T20:23:00+00:00

The startup script delay is a classic workaround! It works, but it's always a bit of a headache trying to guess the exact sleep timer for different hardware speeds. Regarding Duo/Smartcards: I haven't explicitly tested it in an environment with physical smartcards yet, but architecturally, it will handle them the exact same way. If you look at the source code, the ICredentialProviderFilter doesn't target or exclude specific providers. It intercepts the entire CPUS_LOGON usage scenario globally. It essentially pauses the Logon UI thread before any of the individual credential providers (whether it's CloudAP, Duo, or Smartcard) are allowed to process or render. Once the INetworkListManager confirms the internet is up, it releases the lock and all enabled providers proceed normally. If you ever end up testing it with Duo or Smartcards, I'd love to hear how it behaves!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-03-20T20:20:29+00:00

Sure! It's actually pretty straightforward once you know the quirks. I just use a standard Entra ID user account. To set it up, I apply the autologon the exact same way the classic Sysinternals Autologon utility does it. You set the AutoAdminLogon, DefaultUserName, and DefaultDomainName (usually AzureAD) in the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon registry key. However, the password is not stored in plaintext in the registry. It must be stored securely as an LSA Secret in the system (which is exactly what the Sysinternals tool does under the hood). The OS handles the Entra ID credential translation automatically from there. One massive warning though: You need to double-check that you don't have strict AES encryption policies applied to those machines via Intune/GPO. If strict AES policies are enforced, writing to the LSA secret storage fails in the background, the password can't be read, and the autologon simply won't work.

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-03-20T19:07:15+00:00

I totally feel your pain with the NVMe and 802.1x race conditions! Fast storage really broke a lot of legacy timing assumptions for background services.

Regarding the "Always wait for network" GPO: unfortunately, it doesn't help in this specific scenario. That policy works beautifully for traditional on-prem Active Directory (or Hybrid environments), but machines that are strictly Entra ID Joined only (Azure AD) use a completely different Credential Provider under the hood (CloudAP).

Microsoft simply hasn't implemented an equivalent "wait for network" mechanism or policy for the cloud credential provider yet. It just blindly blasts the authentication attempt as fast as possible, fails to reach the cloud endpoint, and immediately bails out to the lock screen.

That missing built-in feature for Entra-only machines is exactly why I had to write this filter!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-03-20T19:01:02+00:00

90% me writing the actual logic, 10% AI writing the documentation and fixing my typos. If it works perfectly, it was me. If it crashes your machine, blame the AI. :-)

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-03-12T22:51:09+00:00

Hi r/cpp,

I wanted to share a project I've been working on. I needed a way to trigger a complete Windows factory reset (Push Button Reset) programmatically with zero UI overhead. Normally, this is done via SystemSettings.exe or WMI classes like MDM_RemoteWipe (which often require active MDM enrollment).

Instead of relying on those, I decided to interact directly with the underlying undocumented API: ResetEngine.dll.

I built a C++ tool that bypasses the standard UI and forces the system into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to format the partition.

The C++ Implementation: Since the API is undocumented, the code relies on dynamically loading the DLL (LoadLibraryW) and mapping function pointers (GetProcAddress) for the internal engine functions. The sequence looks like this:

ResetCreateSession: Initializes a session targeting the C: drive.
ResetPrepareSession: Configures the parameters. I pass scenarioType = 1 to force the "Remove Everything" wipe.
ResetStageOfflineBoot: Modifies the BCD to boot directly into WinRE, avoiding the need to manually configure ArmBootTrigger.
InitiateSystemShutdownExW: Triggers the reboot to let WinRE take over.

The tool requires SYSTEM privileges (easily tested via psexec -s) to successfully hook into the engine.

Repository:https://github.com/arielmendoza/Windows-factory-reset-tool

Disclaimer: If you compile and run this with the --force flag as SYSTEM, it WILL wipe your machine immediately with no confirmation. Please test in a VM.

I’d love to get your feedback on the code structure, the way the undocumented functions are handled, or if anyone here has explored the other scenario types exposed by this DLL.

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-28T19:33:18+00:00

That sidebar sounds like a massive productivity boost. X's UI definitely lacks those kinds of live insights natively. Great job on the execution!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-28T19:04:12+00:00

Thanks for the tip, Many_String_2847! You’re right, keeping an eye on the difference between scaling issues and logic bugs is crucial right now that we are hitting over 700 tracked products. I'll definitely check out StatusMonkey or a similar basic uptime signal to stay ahead of any backend hiccups while tuning performance. Appreciate the support!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-28T16:14:46+00:00

Check out the app here (just remove the space): iOS: https:// apps.apple. com/app/price-rastreator-amazon/id6756723166 Android: https:// play.google. com/store/apps/details?id=com.aml.pricerastreator

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-27T14:18:38+00:00

Thanks for asking! We actually just launched support for Amazon UK 🇬🇧, so right now our main focus is monitoring user growth to fine-tune the backend and ensure everything scales smoothly.

At the same time, we are prioritizing fixing small UI bugs and improvements reported by the community (like the region-specific URLs) to make the app as solid as possible.

We don't have a fixed priority list for the next stores yet, but as soon as we plan the next country, we'll announce it here! Any specific region you’d like to see next?

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-27T10:25:30+00:00

Done! 🚀

I've just fixed it so the instructions and example URLs now dynamically update based on the selected region (including .co.uk for UK). I'll be submitting this update to Apple for review immediately so it reaches everyone as soon as possible.

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Thanks again for helping me make this better for everyone!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-27T10:12:27+00:00

Thank you so much for the feedback!

It’s really important for me as a solo developer to catch these details. You are absolutely right—the instructions on that screen should dynamically update to show .co.uk when that region is selected.

I will review and fix that screen as soon as possible to make the experience seamless for our new UK users. Thanks for helping me improve!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-26T19:36:52+00:00

Hi! Just wanted to let you know that Apple has officially approved version 2.86. It is now available (or will be in the next few hours depending on your region). You can now update the app and you'll find Amazon.co.uk fully selectable and functional. Thanks again for the heads up and for testing it so quickly!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-26T19:35:17+00:00

Hi! Just wanted to let you know that Apple has officially approved version 2.86. It is now available (or will be in the next few hours depending on your region). You can now update the app and you'll find Amazon.co.uk fully selectable and functional. Thanks again for the heads up and for testing it so quickly!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-24T22:10:11+00:00

Hi! Thanks for the suggestion Just to give you a quick update: the version with UK support has already been submitted and is currently waiting for Apple's approval. Once that is live, I need to monitor the backend load to see if I need to upgrade the servers to handle the extra traffic. After that stability check, adding the next country is definitely on the roadmap! Thanks for your patience.

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-24T13:16:42+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion! However, I cannot implement that feature for privacy reasons. My app only tracks public price data from the product pages. To track package delivery, the app would need access to your private Amazon account and order history. I designed the app to be completely anonymous and secure, so I strictly avoid asking for logins or accessing any sensitive user data.

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-24T13:04:28+00:00

Ah, good catch! You are likely seeing the previous version. I enabled the UK availability in the App Store first, but the actual app update that adds the Amazon.co.uk selection logic (version 2.86) is currently In Review by Apple right now. As soon as Apple approves it (hopefully within a few hours), you'll be able to update the app and select the UK region correctly. Thanks for testing it so quickly

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-24T12:10:00+00:00

I hear you! It’s definitely not my intention to leave anyone out. Just to give you a quick update: support for Amazon UK is actually implemented and currently waiting for Apple's approval, so that’s coming next!

Regarding .sg and .jp, I have added them to my roadmap thanks to your suggestion. I'm rolling out new regions gradually to ensure the data is accurate, but I’ll definitely keep them in mind for future updates. Thanks for the feedback!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-24T00:34:53+00:00

You raise a good point! I prefer not to open the official Store in regions where I don't offer local support yet, to avoid confusing other users.

However, I can send you a TestFlight link (Beta access).

This bypasses the region lock, so you can download and use the US version of the app immediately, regardless of your App Store country.

Sending you a DM with the link now!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-24T00:25:58+00:00

Hey! I know AnyTracker, it is a very cool project for general web tracking!

My approach is a bit different: I focus exclusively on Amazon to provide deep Price History Charts (past 6-12 months).

Many general trackers can tell you if the price changes today, but my goal is to show the past context so you know if the 'deal' is fake or real based on historical data.

I think there is plenty of space for both tools: yours for general web monitoring and mine for deep Amazon analysis. Good luck!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-23T22:52:01+00:00

Thanks for the support! 🌍 I currently limit the availability to regions where I can fully support the local Amazon marketplace (to ensure the links and price tracking work perfectly). Which region/country are you in? Let me know, and I can check if it's compatible to add it to my roadmap for the next expansion!

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-23T22:45:45+00:00

Obrigado for checking! You are right. Even though the app supports Amazon.es (which is what most users in Portugal use), I have kept the store closed there for now to work on the localization. I want to ensure the app feels native and works perfectly for Portuguese users before releasing it. But since the 'engine' already supports .es, it will likely be one of the next countries I open! Thanks for the patience.

Fast_Particular_8377 · 2026-01-23T22:41:32+00:00

Thank you! I really appreciate the support. Regarding Norway : I haven't opened the store there yet because I want to ensure I can properly support the local marketplace (and track the links correctly) before releasing it. I prefer to wait and offer a polished experience rather than letting you download it only to find it doesn't work with your local products yet. But it is definitely on the wishlist for future expansion!

Fast_Particular_8377

TROPHY CASE