This hypothesis seems to make the most sense if the file size doesn't change.although I can't compare my kerberos.dll file size (295,936 bytes) and version to MS KB info yet. Kerberos.dll may not actually store PW data in itself it may just keep a new date, time, and pointer record for the storage of the new user/password information elsewhere (perhaps in one of the zillion associated DLL files shown with Steve Miller's/Microsoft's' freeware Dependency Walker utility). Oshwyn5: Thanks for the mini-tutorial to help me understand even better. So what you see is not really that the file itself was altered or replace, only that it was accessed and the data it stored was modified. Likewise, there are programs (rundll32.exe and svchost.exe ) which are designed to allow the dll programs to "run independently" when that is needed. Many different programs may access (share) the same dll file and any one of them can modify its data. Normally, a DLL file is accessed by a program.
(Note that Word is and APPLICATION, meaning that it is a collection of programs and files which can do many things and run on its own ). Kind of like uninstalling MS Word2000, and installing MS Word 2002 but deciding to keep the folders and data intact.
The windows update actually replaces the file with a new version. It contains not only the program, but associated data. Remember, that you should think of a DLL or Dynamic Link Library as a tiny program which cannot run on its own. After reading the definition you cited as well as the definition for DLL on that site, I have a better understanding.Īt that point, I would consider this normal and nothing to get worried about. I had the (apparently incorrect) notion a central "protected" Windows XP file couldn't be changed. It seemed odd that a Windows XP DLL file that is part Windows XP security would be changed via some method other than a Microsoft patch/update. Maybe that's why they're called dynamic link libraries. I wasn't aware that DLL files, instead of just being subroutine "procedure" files, may be used to store changing data as well. Now I'm hypothesizing that kerberos.dll stores encrypted user login credential information (probably among other things). THANKS for the definition and URL (yet another resource added to my bookmarks). I have been messing with computer-related things so much lately that I'm fuzzy about what I did (and when I did it) even just a few days ago.
I also may have changed my administrator access password for my router's control panel on that date. I didn't change my XP login password on that date but I may have changed my user name on that date.