Windows 10: Phantom User Account

Hello,

I upgraded my ASUS QF550/Windows 8.1 to Windows 10/Threshold II after the MS invitation. I'm also using ESET Smart Security.

The upgrade went smoothly and my computer is running better than ever. However, I've noticed that a mysterious phantom user account keeps appearing on my user list. I have a secure network and have changed the network and MS passwords since this began happening, yet the user account "ttnmlwzzn" still appears. Never any files or activity on it. Once deleted, after several sign-ins by me, it reappears. I am the only user and have administrator authority but I can't seem to permanently delete it.

My questions are: Is this something that is being added by Windows 10 and is this something to be concerned about? Is there some trick to getting it to remain deleted? Doesn't seem to hurt anything, but it's a bit annoying.

:)

 

ESET wants me to open a Phantom Account. Is this safe and how will I delete this account?

Eset's Anti-Theft protection creates a Phantom Account (random-named user-account) to protect your real user accounts and help to recover your device if it ever is lost or stolen. Enabling the Phantom Account will provide a notification
about suspicious activity on your computer to be sent to your email anytime that someone logs in to this account. The phantom account is required to fully utilize all of the Anti-Theft features.

• Activate and configure Anti-Theft protection in ESET Mobile Security for Android
• Phantom account Issue

 

Windows 10 has phantom user's account

Vjay B,

Im having the same issue.

To your questions:

1. The activity "user logoff" occurs at start up and disappears. This did not occur with Windows 8 or Windows 7 or Windows XP, or Windows 98 or Windows 95 or Windows 3.0. The Phantom user issue only occurs on the Windows 10 the free software download.

2. Mcafee provided by AOL.

3. The phantom user account is not listed under control panel account settings. The only user account is the administrator account set up when I downloaded the free software. Maybe thats why some are calling this a Phantom User.

If I can add another question? Should I uninstall Windows 10?

 

What "user list" are you talking about specifically? Where exactly do you see this extra account?

There is "User Accounts" applet in Control Panel. There's "Users" list in Computer Management applet. There is user list that drops down from your name in Start Menu (if you have Fast User Switching enabled). There is user list on Welcome screen (for interactive users). There is a list of user profiles in Advanced System Settings... Etc etc etc.

Do you see that mysterious user in all of these places? Some of them? Just one of them?


Anyway, what you are seeing must be this

oymlgoleopw user account - ESET Beta Products for Home Users - ESET Security Forum
Unknown User Account - ESET Smart Security - ESET Security Forum

The account is created by Anti Theft feature of ESET Smart Security, if you have that feature enabled.

 

Yes to all but the drop down user list in the start menu. I do have the ESET anti-theft feature enabled. That would explain it. Thanks for the info and links.

According to ESET, the account should not appear on the log-on page, but it does. I'll recheck the settings.

Glad to see I'm not the only person experiencing this. A bit alarming first time you see something like that on the user list, but now that I know what it is - and that it's benign, I won't worry about it. You've been very helpful. Thanks.

 

It could be a consequence of another old Windows bug.

Your user account, under which you use your computer and observe this issue: is it an account with administrator rights? Or is it a normal non-administrative account?

 

I haven't noticed it on the non-admin user account, but I haven't looked for it from there, either. WIll try that and see.

Can you tell me more about this old bug?