Graphical identification and authentication

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The graphical identification and authentication (GINA) is a component of Windows NT 3.51, Windows NT 4.0,^[1] Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003^[2] that provides secure authentication and interactive logon services. GINA is a replaceable dynamically linked library that is loaded early in the boot process in the context of Winlogon when the machine is started. It is responsible for handling the secure attention sequence, typically Control-Alt-Delete, and interacting with the user when this sequence is received. GINA is also responsible for starting initial processes for a user (such as the Windows Shell) when they first log on.^[3] GINA is discontinued in Windows Vista.^[3]