Clear virtual memory pagefile when system shuts down

Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options

Description

Determines whether the virutal memory pagefile should be cleared when the system is shut down.

Windows 2000 virtual memory support uses a system pagefile to swap pages of memory to disk when they are not being actively used. On a running system, this pagefile is opened exclusively by the operating system and is well protected. However, systems that are configured to allow booting to other operating systems might want to ensure that system pagefile is wiped clean when Windows 2000 shuts down. This ensures that sensitive information from process memory that might have made it into the pagefile is not available to an unauthorized user who has managed to directly access the page file.

When this policy is enabled, it causes the system pagefile to be cleared upon clean shutdown. Enabling this security option also causes the hibernation file (hiberfil.sys) to be zeroed out when hibernation is disabled on a laptop system.

When this policy is disabled, the virtual memory pagefile is not cleared during system shutdown.

This policy is defined by default in Local Computer Policy, where it is disabled by default.